The 

Ragged  Edge 

John  T.  Mclntyre 


THE  LIBRARY 

OF 

THE  UNIVERSITY 
OF  CALIFORNIA 

LOS  ANGELES 


r 


THE  RAGGED  EDGE 


The  Ragged  Edge 

A  Tale  of  Ward  Life  &  "Politics 


John   T.   M^Intyre 


First   Novel 


V 


Series 


New  York 

MfClure,  Phillips  &  Co. 
Mcmii 


Copyright,    1901,    by 
McCLURE,    PHILLIPS   fcf   CO 


Published,  September,   1902,  R 


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-*>^' 
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Mntn. 

To 

Wayne,  Andy,  George  &  Lew 


1260081 


THE  RAGGED  EDGE 


Chapter  I 


" Arrah,  me  jewel,  sure,  Larry's  the  boy!" 

OLD  SONG. 

f  TT ^"EARY  horses  dragged  ponderous  trucks 

t/1/         homeward;  the  drivers  drooped  upon  their 

high  seats  and  thought  of  cans  of  beer;  a 

red  sun  threw  shafts  of  light  along  the  cross-town 

streets  and  between   the   rows   of   black  warehouses. 

The  porters  had  all  gone  for  the  night  from  Mason 
&  Sons,  and  young  Mason  stood  upon  the  office  step, 
about  to  lock  the  door,  when  Kerrigan  jumped  from 
a  passing  car  and  hailed  him. 

"  I  just  happened  to  notice  you  as  I  was  going  by," 
Kerrigan  said ;  "  and  that  reminded  me  that  I  wanted 
to  speak  to  you." 

"  Come  in  and  sit  down,"  said  Mason,  leading  the 
way  into  the  office. 

"  I  drew  up  a  will  the  other  day  in  which  you  were 

3 


4  THE  RAGGED  EDGE 

named  as  executor,"  said  Kerrigan,  mounting  a  stool 
at  the  bookkeeper's  desk. 

Mason  looked  at  him  questioningly. 

"  It's  old  Miss  Cassidy  who  kept  house  for  your 
father,  years  ago.  She  said  that  she  had  not  spoken 
to  you  about  the  matter,  but  that  she  felt  sure  that 
you  would  consent  to  act." 

"  She's  a  queer  old  soul,"  smiled  Mason. 

"  No  queerer  than  the  will  she  had  me  make  for 
her.  Quite  a  tidy  sum  of  money,  too." 

"  She  was  very  saving ;  and  then  father  thought 
well  of  her  and  advised  her  about  small  investments 
which  were  successful.  But  what  induced  her  to 
make  a  will  ?  Is  she  ill  ?  " 

"  She  says  she  is  getting  old,  and  thought  that  the 
matter  should  be  settled.  By  the  way,  Mason,  there 
are  rumours  going  about  the  City  Hall  that  must  in 
terest  a  reformer  like  you,"  and  Kerrigan  smiled  at  his 
friend.  "  The  Motor  Traction  Company  is  endeavour 
ing  to  secure  possession  of  Center  and  Line  streets." 

"  Do  they  contemplate  purchasing  the  rights  of  the 
new  company  ?  " 

"  Not  while  there's  a  chance  to  steal  them ;  and  from 


THE  RAGGED  EDGE  5 

what  I've  heard  during  the  last  few  days  that  has  been 
their  object  since  the  time  the  injunction  was  granted 
against  the  rival  concern." 

The  young  attorney  planted  his  back  against  the 
desk  and  braced  himself  with  his  elbows.  "  Let  me 
give  you  a  sketch  of  the  thing,"  said  he.  "  The  City 
Railway  Company  was  duly  chartered,  secured  the 
franchise  from  councils  for  these  two  streets  and  spent 
thousands  of  good  dollars  in  putting  down  road-bed, 
rails  and  all  that  sort  of  thing.  At  this  stage  the  Motor 
Company  suddenly  discovered  that  Center  and  Line 
streets  were  arteries  that  would  tap  the  thickly  popu 
lated  sections,  and  that  the  new  company  would  re 
duce  their  earnings. 

"  Under  cover  of  a  protest  from  citizens  living 
along  the  line  of  the  new  road,  an  injunction  was 
gotten  out  staying  all  work;  the  matter  was  carried 
into  the  courts,  where  it  has  been  hanging  fire  ever 
since." 

"  But,"  put  in  Mason,  "  a  decision  was  rendered  in 
favour  of  the  City  Company  less  than  a  week  ago." 

"  I  know  that ;  and  in  that  decision  the  new  move 
of  the  Motor  people  had  its  birth.  The  long  delay,  the 


6  THE  RAGGED  EDGE 

cost  of  fighting  the  case  and  all  that,  pretty  well 
drained  the  resources  of  the  City  people,  who  were 
none  too  rich  to  begin  with.  And  a  time  limit  was 
put  upon  the  building  of  the  line  at  the  time  the  fran 
chise  was  granted.  The  time  specified  will  shortly 
expire  and  the  road  is  but  half  built.  The  Motor 
Company  intends  to  put  unlimited  money  into  the 
next  local  election  in  order  to  elect  a  majority  in  both 
branches  of  councils  favourable  to  revoking  the  fran 
chise  on  the  ground  of  failure  to  live  up  to  their 
contract." 

"  Why,  this  is  infamous ! "  exclaimed  Mason. 
"  How  could  the  road  be  built  in  the  time  specified 
when  the  courts  prevented  their  working  upon  it  ?  " 

Kerrigan  shrugged  his  shoulders.  "  The  Motor 
Company  want  that  franchise  and  it  is  not  at  all  par 
ticular  about  how  it  is  gotten." 

The  two  young  men  rose  and  made  their  way  to 
the  sidewalk. 

"  I  understand,"  said  Mason,  as  he  sprang  the  catch 
of  the  office  door,  "  when  the  new  company  was  or 
ganized,  that  the  stock  was  mostly  taken  up  in  small 


THE  RAGGED  EDGE  7 

lots  by  small  store-keepers  and  people  with  accounts 
in  saving  banks." 

"  That's  true,"  answered  Kerrigan ;  "  and  that's 
what  makes  the  company  easy  game." 

A  heavy  team  swung  up  to  the  curb  and  a  square- 
jawed  young  fellow  climbed  down  from  his  seat.  A 
battered,  drink-sodden  man  tremulously  clutched  him 
by  the  arm  and  began  mumbling  incoherently.  The 
teamster  slipped  him  a  nickel  and  gave  him  a  helpful 
shove  down  the  street;  then  he  approached  and  said 
to  Mason: 

"  There's  a  lot  o'  stuff  up  at  Shed  B  for  youse 
people.  Shannon  wants  t'  know  when  ye  want  it 
hauled." 

"  Ah,  yes,"  replied  Mason.  "  We  received  the  no 
tice  late  this  afternoon.  Tell  Shannon  to  have  it  here 
the  first  thing  in  the  morning." 

"  Good  enough ! "  The  driver  was  about  to  turn 
away  when  Kerrigan  exclaimed: 

"Hello,  Larry!     What's  doing?" 

"Hello,  Johnnie,"  greeted  the  other.  "I  didn't 
know  youse." 


8  THE  RAGGED  EDGE 

"  Who's  your  friend  ?  "  questioned  Kerrigan,  nod 
ding  toward  the  receding  form  of  the  tramp. 

"  Oh,  just  a  guy  what  braced  me  for  a  nickel  so's 
he  could  hang  up  his  hat  on  the  inside  of  a  wall.  He 
said  it's  been  so  long  since  he  covered  his  stilts  wit' 
a  sheet  that  he  forgets  what  it  feels  like." 

"What  did  you  say?" 

"  I  told  him  that  I  was  workin'  this  side  o'  the 
street  meself.  Say,  it's  a  big  t'ing  when  a  guy  kin  dig 
down  in  his  pants  an'  produce  a  roll  that  would  stop 
a  window;  but  the  minute  I  run  up  against  a  bundle 
o'  rags  me  vest  buttons  is  in  danger.  Say,  Johnnie, 
was  youse  ever  strapped  ?  " 

Kerrigan  confessed  that  he  had  been. 

"  I  guess  every  geezer  along  the  line  has  done  the 
stunt  at  some  stage  o'  the  game.  Why,  I've  been  so 
tight  on  the  hooks  that  I  couldn't  tell  the  difference 
between  a  coon  blowin'  a  cake  walk  an'  a  gutter  band 
handin'  out  the  '  Dead  March  in  Saul ' ;  an'  if  Queen 
Anne  cottages  was  sellin'  for  a  quarter  a  bunch  I 
couldn't  buy  in  a  cellar  window.  I  tell  youse  what  it 
is,  Kerrigan,  when  a  guy's  room  rent's  six  weeks  on 
the  wrong  side  o'  the  ledger  an'  his  meal  ticket  wont 


THE  RAGGED  EDGE  9 

Stan'  for  another  hole  in  it,  it's  time  for  him  to  start 
somethin'  doin',  an'  try  an'  git  his  eyes  on  a  graft 
what's  got  '  In  God  we  trust '  chalked  on  its  back. 
Ain't  that  right?" 

"  A  man  entirely  without  money,"  said  Mason,  "  is 
certainly  an  object  for  sympathy." 

Larry  gestured  his  contempt. 

"  I'd  like  to  deal  in  that,"  said  he.  "  If  I  could  sell 
it  at  two  bits  a  crate  I'd  make  money  till  youse 
couldn't  rest.  The  lobsters  what  runs  the  beanery's 
got  sympathy  to  give  away;  but  youse  couldn't  coax 
a  beef  stew  out  o'  the  kitchen  if  ye  had  a  smile  like 
Maude  Adams.  And  the  gent  that  runs  the  hock 
shop  keeps  it  in  stock  too,  but  the  same  guy  wouldn't 
lend  youse  a  half  a  plunk  on  a  pair  o'  bags  wit'  a 
hole  in  'em  if  ye  was  spittin'  blood. 

"  Sympathy,"  continued  the  square-jawed  young 
man,  "  is  the  cheapest  graft  that  ever  looked  over  the 
hill ;  it's  got  every  other  con  game  skinned  to  death 
and  a  guy  in  a  tight  pull  takes  chances  o'  breakin' 
his  neck  over  it  every  time  he  opens  his  mouth.  But, 
say,  on  the  level,  when  a  man's  single,  an'  on'y  got 
one  end  to  watch  he  kin  pipe  up  a  breeze  if  he  ain't 


io  THE  RAGGED  EDGE 

dead  leary  on  action;  but  when  he's  got  a  full  han 
o'  kids  like  me  friend  Chip  Nolan,  an'  has  to  ket 
leather  on  their  tootseys  an'  their  first  teeth  bus 
three  times  a  day,  he's  got  to  keep  his  t'ink-tar 
stirrin'  to  beat  the  band,  or  he'll  look  like  a  last  year 
poster  on  a  broken-down  fence." 

He  climbed  up  to  his  high  seat  and  gathered  up  tl 
reins. 

"  Don't  t'ink  from  this  song  an'  dance,"  said  h 
"  that  I've  ever  stood  in  line  wit'  a  yellow  ticket  ai 
a  tin  can.  But,  say,  as  Chip  Nolan  'ed  say :  '  Yer  c 
the  turf,  mate,  but  youse  ain't  under  it  yet.'  See 
Git  'ep,  Pete!" 


Chapter  II 


"  Ding,  dong,  ding-el,  ding-el,  dong, 
Listen  to  the  echo  in  the  dell, 
Hurry,  little  children,  Sunday  morn, 
There  goes  the  old  Church  bell." 

HARRIGAN. 

/T  was  Sunday  morning.    The  iron  heart  of  the 
bell  that  hung  in  the  tower  of  St.  Michael's 
beat  against  its  brazen  ribs,  and  the  clangour 
went  rioting  over  the  housetops.     Streams  of  people, 
dressed    in    their    Sunday    best,    picked    their    way 
across  the  railroad  toward  the  sound;  heavy   faces 
peered  through  bedroom  windows  and  sleep-dry  lips 
murmured  curses  at  the  noise ;  a  shifting  engine  panted 
heavily  as  it  dragged  a  milk  train  over  the  rails,  and 
spat  cinders  into  the  face  of  day. 

In  the  kitchen  of  a  squat,  shabby  building  fronting 
on  the  railroad,  a  lean,  yellow-faced  old  woman  sat 
beside  the  range,  nursing  her  knees  and  drawing  at 

ii 


12  THE  RAGGED  EDGE 

a  black  clay  pipe.  Another,  almost  her  counterpart, 
was  sweeping  the  floor  with  the  worn  stump  of  a 
broom. 

"  God  be  good  till  uz,  Ellen !  "  suddenly  exclaimed 
the  first.  "  What  are  yez  about?  " 

"  What  talk  have  ye,  Bridget?  " 

"  Sure  ye  wur  as  near  as  a  hair  till  swapin'  the  bit 
av  dust  out  av  the  dure ! " 

"  Divil  a  fear  av  me.  Is  it  swape  the  luck  from  the 
house  I'd  be  doin'?" 

Ellen  scraped  up  the  sweepings.  "  There  do  be 
bad  luck  enough  about  the  place,"  she  continued,  as 
she  slid  the  dust  into  the  fire  and  watched  it  burn, 
the  flame  lighting  up  her  old,  faded  face,  her  dirty 
white  cap,  her  bony,  large-veined  hands.  "  Malachi 
tells  me  that  the  biz'ness  do  be  poorly." 

"  Little  wonder,"  declared  Bridget,  knocking  the 
ashes  from  her  pipe  and  laying  it  carefully  on  the  top 
of  a  tin  at  the  back  of  the  stove.  "  I  know'd  what 
'ud  come  av  havin'  the  son  av  a  Know-nothin'  glos- 
terin'  about  the  place!  Sure  the  curse  av  God  ij  on 
the  loike!" 

"  True  for  yez,"  assented  her  sister.    "  Owld  Lar- 


THE  RAGGED  EDGE  13 

kin  wur  the  spit  av  the  owld  felly  himself;  he  wur 
a  Derry  man  an'  as  black  a  Presbyterian  as  iver  cried 
"Ton— 1  wid  the  Pope!'" 

Ellen  took  up  the  hot  pipe  and  charged  it  from  the 
tin,  shaking  her  head  ominously. 

"  Ah,  the  Orange  thafe !  "  piped  the  other.  "  Well 
do  I  raymember  him,  years  ago,  at  the  riots  at  the 
Nanny-Goat  Market,  that  stood  beyant  there  where 
the  railroad  is.  Sure  it  wur  him  that  put  the  divil  in 
their  heads  till  burn  down  St.  Michael's;  an'  wid  me 
own  two  eyes  I  see  him  shoutin'  an'  laffin'  as  the  cross 
tumbled  intill  the  street !  " 

Ellen  made  a  hurried  sign  of  the  cross  and  muttered 
some  words  in  Gaelic. 

"  An'  they  say,"  whispered  she,  awed,  "  that  he 
barked  loike  a  dog  iver  after !  " 

"  Sorra  the  lie's  in  it,  avic.  Owld  Mrs.  Flannagan, 
that  lived  nixt  dure  till  him,  towld  me,  wid  her  own 
two  lips,  that  it  wur  so.  Bud  he  always  said  it  wur 
asthma  he  wur  after  havinY' 

"  Oh,  the  robber !  It  wur  himself  that  cud  twist 
t'ings  till  serve  his  turn.  More  like  it  wur  the  divil  in 
him,  cry  in'  till  be  let  out." 


H  THE  RAGGED  EDGE 

"An'  d'  yez  raymember  at  the  toime  av  the  riots, 
Ellen,  whin  he  stood  be  the  fince,  overight  our  back 
yard,  wid  Foley's  musket,  waitin'  for  any  av  uz  till 
pop  out  our  heads  ?  " 

Ellen,  through  some  mischance,  had  swallowed 
some  of  the  rank  pipe  smoke,  and  she  gasped  and 
strangled,  with  waving  hands  and  protruding  eyes. 

"  Well  do  I,  asthore,"  she  panted  between  her  fits  of 
coughing.  "Oh,  the  Crom'ell!" 

"  Bridget,"  cried  a  voice  from  the  storeroom  in  front, 
"  have  ye  not  me  bit  av  breakfast  ready  ?  It's  late  for 
Mass  I'll  be  iv  yez  don't  stir  yezself,  woman." 

Malachi  O'Hara  stood  in  his  shop  among  his  stock 
in  trade.  About  him  were  heaped  the  rakings  of  low 
auction  rooms  and  pawnbrokers'  sales;  stacks  of  half- 
worn  clothing  lay  upon  the  counter;  the  shelves  were 
loaded  with  crockery,  oil  lamps,  plaster  of  paris 
images,  table  cutlery,  clocks,  fly-specked  pictures  and 
a  heterogeneous  mass  of  battered,  greasy  and  utterly 
useless  articles  for  which  it  would  be  impossible  to 
find  names.  In  the  window  hung  a  banjo  with  two 
broken  strings;  a  family  Bible,  its  pages  held  open 
by  a  set  of  steel  "  knuckle  dusters  "  lay  just  below, 


THE  RAGGED  EDGE  15 

and  it  was  garnished  on  all  sides  with  old-fashioned 
silver  watches,  seal  rings,  black  jacks  and  so  on  down 
the  list  of  articles  that  clutter  such  establishments. 

O'Hara,  a  pot-bellied  man,  bald,  broad-faced  and 
with  hard  little  eyes,  walked  back  to  the  kitchen. 

"  We  wur  talkin'  av  owld  Jimmie  Larkin,"  said 
Bridget  putting  the  crockery  upon  the  table.  "  Look 
till  the  sup  av  coffee,  Ellen,"  she  whispered,  hurriedly, 
"  d'ye  not  see  that  it's  b'ilin'  over !  " 

O'Hara  glowered  at  them,  angrily. 

"  An'  it's  only  startin'  yez  are !  "  he  cried.  "  D'ye 
si*  here  like  a  pair  av  owld  cacklin'  hens,  an'  the  bell 
just  rung  for  Mass ! " 

The  bell  had  just  ceased  and  people  were  still  hurry 
ing  on;  the  red  sun  peeped  at  them  from  behind  the 
church  tower ;  the  hands  of  the  big  clock  reproachfully 
pointed  out  the  fact  that  they  were  late.  Bridget 
glanced  through  the  side  window. 

"  There  goes  Clancy's  wife  in  her  new  silk,"  said 
she.  "  It's  proud  enough  she's  gettin'  till  be,  since 
her  husband  opened  the  grocery." 

"  May  the  divil  fly  away  wid  Clancy's  wife  an'  her 
silks  as  well!  Faix  an'  there  do  be  other  things  that 


16  THE  RAGGED  EDGE 

Clancy  could  do  wid  his  money !  "  O'Hara  was  in  a 
stormy  mood. 

"  Sit  down  till  yez  bit  av  breakfast,"  soothed  Ellen. 
"  Clancy  do  be  doin'  well  an'  will  pay  the  money  he 
borried  av  ye,  Malachi.  It's  drink  yez  coffee  black 
yez'll  have  till,"  she  added,  "  for  young  "McGonagle 
have  not  come  wid  the  milk  yet." 

He  sat  down  with  a  crabbed  laugh. 

"  McGonagle  is  it !  "  exclaimed  he.  "  Faith  an' 
there's  another  wan.  The  toime  is  drawin'  on,  so  it 
is,  but  divil  the  dollar  richer  is  he.  It's  wait  for  me 
bit  av  money  he'll  be  wantin'  me  till,  but  scure  till 
the  day  will  I.  I'll  sell  him  out,  the  spalpeen !  He  do 
not  trate  me  wid  rayspect." 

A  rattling  of  wheels  ceased  at  the  door,  and  it 
shook  under  a  thundering  hand. 

"  Spake  av  the  divil !  "  remarked  Ellen.  She  took  a 
pitcher  from  the  table  and  opened  the  door.  "  A  pint," 
she  said. 

The  youth"  with  the  milk-pail  dexterously  dipped 
out  the  required  quantity. 

"  Heard  the  news?  "  inquired  he. 


THE  RAGGED  EDGE  17 

"  We've  heerd  nothin',"  returned  Ellen,  "  barrin' 
that  Hogan  as  he  passed  on  his  bate  this  mornin', 
towld  uz  that  his  b'y  Tom  wur  near  kilt  las'  noight 
at  yez  bla'gard  club." 

"Ah,  Hogan's  daffy!  I  meant  did  ye  hear  about 
old  man  Murphy  a-dyin'  ?  " 

"What!"  exclaimed  O'Hara,  his  mouth  full,  "is 
owld  Larry  cold,  thin  ?  " 

"  Not  yet ;  but  he'll  die  before  the  day's  over."  And 
with  this  the  milkman  threw  himself  and  can  into  the 
wagon  at  the  curb,  and  rolled  down  the  street.  Ellen 
closed  the  door  and  put  the  pitcher  upon  the  table. 

"  So  he'll  be  goin'  at  las',"  said  she. 

"  Small  wonder,"  put  in  the  sister ;  "  sure  he's  been 
poorly  this  long  time." 

"  The  owld  man  made  a  tidy  bit  av  money  in  his 
day,"  said  the  brother,  admiringly.  "  Bud,"  with  a 
sigh,  "  it's  lavin'  it  all  he'll  be." 

"  An'  tell  me,  Malachi,"  said  Bridget,  "  d'  yez  think 
the  gran'son'll  git  any  av  it?  " 

O'Hara  spilled  some  of  the  milk  into  his  coffee. 

"  Divil  a  cint,"  answered  he,  positively.     "  Sure,  the 


1 8  THE  RAGGED  EDGE 

owld  man  have  niver  noticed  him  since  the  day  he 
wur  born.  An'  small  blame  till  him,"  rapping  upon 
the  table  with  his  spoon,  "  for  what  call  had  his  son 
till  take  up  wid  a  Jewess  ?  " 

"  But,"  reasoned  Ellen,  "  now  that  he  do  be  dyin' 
he  might  call  him  in  an' — " 

"  Sorra  the  fear  av  that !  Faix  an'  whin  Mike  lay 
dead  at  O'Connor's,  the  undertaker,  he  wint  naythur 
nixt  nor  near  him.  Some  say  Kelly  wur  the  cause 
av  that,  but  owld  Larry  had  timper  enough  av  his  own, 
God  knows." 

"An'  do  ye  t'ink  he'll  lave  the  property  till  the 
Church?" 

"Ayther  that  or  till  Mary  Carroll.  Kelly  t'inks 
there  do  be  a  chance  for  his  boy,  Martin;  but  Mar 
tin's  a  hard  drinker  an'  the  owld  man  niver  liked  a 
bone  in  his  body." 

The  gong  over  the  store  door  rattled  sharply.  A 
plump  little  woman  with  a  rosy,  chubby  face  had 
entered;  she  wore  a  bright  scarlet  shawl  shot  with 
green  and  saffron,  and  upon  her  head  was  perched  a 
tiny  black  bonnet  with  blue  strings. 

"  Good  mornin'  all,"  greeted  this  lady  with  a  sweep- 


THE  RAGGED  EDGE  19 

ing  flourish  of  a  big  brass-clasped  prayer  book.  "  An' 
Bridget,  acushla,  have  ye  heard  about  poor  owld 
Larry  Murphy  ?  " 

"  God  luk  down  on  uz,  I  have,"  answered  Bridget, 
wagging  her  head  from  side  to  side.  "  Ah  bud  death's 
a  sad  t'ing,  Mrs.  McGonagle." 

"  True  for  ye,  asthore,  true  for  ye ! "  And  Mrs. 
McGonagle  wagged  her  head  also.  "  But,"  she  con 
tinued,  "  what  will  become  av  the  houses  in  the  alley, 
an'  the  power  av  money  they  say  he  have  in  bank  ?  " 

"  We  wur  this  minit  spakin'  av  that  same,"  said 
Ellen ;  "  an'  Malachi  t'inks  the  gran'son'll  git  sorra 
the  cint  av  it." 

"  God  be  good  till  uz,  Malachi !    An'  d'ye  t'ink  so  ?  " 

Mrs.  McGonagle  caught  her  breath  and  stared  at 
O'Hara  in  horror.  "  Till  t'ink,"  she  added,  in  an 
awed  tone,  "  av  him  holdin'  the  grudge  an'  him 
a-dyin'." 

O'Hara  had  finished  his  breakfast  and  was  putting 
on  his  coat. 

"  I  can  see  nothin'  ilce  for  it,"  remarked  he,  sagely. 

"  Young  Larry  is  a  study,  sober,  hard  workin'  boy !  " 
exclaimed  Mrs.  McGonagle,  "  an'  its  a  sin  an'  a  shame 


20  THE  RAGGED  EDGE 

for  him  till  be  treated  so.  He  have  lodged  in  me  third 
story  for  a  long  time,  now,  an'  I  have  the  first  time 
till  see  him  wid  a  sup  av  drink  in  him ;  an'  I'd  say  that 
iv  it  wur  me  last  breath,  so  I  wud !  " 

The  gong  rattled;  the  door  slammed;  and  a  girl, 
flushed  and  breathless,  darted  through  the  store  and 
into  the  kitchen. 

"  Aunt  Ellen,"  cried  she,  "  give  me  the  candles  we 
had  from  last  Candlemas  Day;  an'  I  want  the  ivory 
crucifix,  too,  for  they've  sent  for  Father  Dawson." 

Ellen  began  a  hurried  rummaging  for  the  articles 
named ;  the  girl  caught  sight  of  Mrs.  McGonagle  and 
grasped  her  by  the  arm. 

"Oh,"  she  exclaimed,  "is  it  you,  Mrs.  McGonagle? 
I'm  glad  you're  here ;  I  was  just  a-goin'  to  run  around 
to  your  house." 

"For  why?" 

"  Here !  "  cried  Ellen  pushing  a  parcel  into  the  girl's 
hand.  "  Here's  what  yez  want ;  away  wid  ye,  now, 
an'  don't  be  stan'in'." 

"  You'll  hurry  home,  won't  you,  Mrs.  McGonagle," 
the  girl  was  now  at  the  door,  her  hand  on  the  latch, 


THE  RAGGED  EDGE  21 

"  an'  tell  Larry  Murphy  his  gran'father  wants  to  see 
him  before  he  dies." 

And  with  that  the  side  door  closed  behind  her  and 
she  went  by  the  window  like  a  flash. 

"  Be  the  powers  av  Moll  Kelly !  "  exclaimed  O'Hara, 
his  broad  face  blank  with  wonder,  "  but  that  bates 
the  Owld  Nick." 

He  stood  staring  at  his  sisters,  who  had  their 
withered  hands  in  the  air  in  gestures  of  amazement. 
Mrs.  McGonagle's  face  shone  with  glee  and  she  cackled 
rapturously. 

"  I  must  hurry  home,"  said  she,  "  an'  waken  Larry." 

"Is  he  still  in  bed?"  cried  Ellen. 

"  Do  he  not  go  till  Mass  ?  "  cried  Bridget. 

"  Why,  not  very  often,"  admitted  Mrs.  McGonagle, 
reluctantly.  "  He  an'  Jimmie  Larkin  slapes  till  a'most 
dinner  toime  ivery  Sunday.  But  Larry's  a  daysint 
b'y  for  all  that.  Good  day  till  yez."  And  with  that 
the  good  little  woman  bolted  into  the  street  and  went 
sailing  toward  McGarragles'  Alley,  her  bright  shawl 
fluttering  in  the  breeze. 

The  two  old  crones  clawed  mystic  signs  in  the  air 


22  THE  RAGGED  EDGE 

& 
over  the  spot  where  their  visitor  had  lately  stood  and 

began  muttering  in  Gaelic.  O'Hara  was  brushing  his 
Sunday  high  hat  with  the  sleeve  of  his  coat  and  paused 
as  he  caught  the  words. 

"  What  humbuggin'  are  yez  at  now  ?  "  demanded  he. 

"  Would  yez  be  after  lettin'  the  curse  stay  in  the 
house  ?  "  cried  Bridget. 

"  Sure,  she  hav  the  evil  eye !  "  asserted  Ellen. 

O'Hara  regarded  them  fixedly  for  a  moment;  then 
with  a  snort  he  put  on  his  hat,  took  his  black-thorn 
stick  from  behind  the  door,  and  started  off  for  church. 


Chapter  III 

"My  grandfather,  he,  at  the  age  of  eighty-three, 
One  day  in  May  was  taken  ill  and  died, 
And  after  he  was  dead,  the  will,  of  course,  was  read, 
By  a  lawyer,  as  we  all  stood  by  his  side." 

POPULAR  SONG. 

JT  ARRY  MURPHY  awoke  and  sat  up  in  bed; 

I  the  sun  was  streaming-  in  through  the  one 
small  window  of  Mrs.  McGonagle's  third 
story  room,  and  the  peal  of  the  bell  sounded 
solemnly  in  his  ears.  Through  the  window  could  be 
seen  the  church  tower,  pointing  like  a  gigantic  finger 
heavenward ;  the  hands  of  the  clock  were  slowly  lifting 
as  though  to  screen  its  face  from  the  glare  of  the 
sun.  Larry  stretched  himself  lazily. 

"  Solemn  High  Mass,"  yawned  he. 

A  second  young  man  lay  upon  a  cot  opposite, 
propped  up  with  a  pillow  and  reading  a  pink  sporting 
paper.  He  glanced  up. 

23 


24  THE  RAGGED  EDGE 

"  That's  the  one,"  remarked  he,  "  that  the  property 
holders  come  together  at,  ain't  it?  Ye  kin  see  every 
plug  hat  in  the  parish  on  Second  Street  at  half  past 
ten  on  Sunday  morning;  but  I'll  bet  five  cases  to  one 
that  the  collection  ain't  no  heavier  than  it  is  at  the 
one  what  the  dump-cart  drivers  goes  to." 

Young  Murphy  grinned.  "  Ye'd  better  not  say  too 
much  about  that  when  yer  on  the  street,"  advised  he. 
"  Some  o'  the  Turks  around  here's  dead  sore  on  youse 
since  youse  led  the  march  at  the  '  Son's  o'  Berry's 
Ball,'  an'  they'll  cop  youse  a  sly  one  when  yer  not 
next." 

"  Don't  lose  any  sleep  over  that,"  said  the  other. 
"  Somebody'll  get  hurt  if  they  run  up  against  me,  and 
that's  no  dream.  I  don't  have  to  ask  no  gang  o' 
Mocaraws  if  I  kin  go  to  a  ball ;  ain't  that  right  ?  " 

Murphy  nodded  the  subject  aside. 

"  Anything  new  ?  "  he  inquired,  looking  at  the  paper 
which  his  friend  had  thrown  upon  the  bare  floor. 

"  Nothin'  much,  'cept  that  Jack  Slattery  got  the  life 
lammed  out  o'  him  in  his  twenty  round  job  with  Mc- 
Cook's  '  Pidgeon  '  There's  a  good  t'ing  gone  wrong ! 
I  know  the  time  when  Slattery  went  right  down  the 


THE  RAGGED  EDGE  25 

line  and  give  'em  all  a  go;  but  drink  got  the  best  o' 
him,  and  now  he's  willin'  to  take  dimes  for  a  hard 
job  agin  a  big  man,  where  he  used  to  stan'  pat  for 
dollars  to  put  out  a  dub." 

"  Rum's  a  tough  game  to  go  up  against,"  commented 
Larry.  "  Say,"  after  a  pause,  "  how's  yer  trip  South 
comin'  up?" 

"  Big.  Me  manager's  got  me  go's  at  New  Orleans, 
Galveston  an'  half  a  dozen  other  burgs ;  an'  if  I  holds 
up  me  end,  he'll  stack  me  against  the  champion  fer  as 
many  plunks  as  youse  kin  hold  in  yer  hat.  That'll 
be  a  great  graft;  eh,  Larry?  I'll  be  a  main  squeeze 
meself  then,  and  sportin'  guys '11  come  out  from  under 
their  hats  as  soon  as  they  gits  their  eyes  on  me !  " 
And  Jimmie  Larkin  twisted  himself  around  on  his 
elbow  and  waved  one  thick,  hairy  arm  delightedly. 

"  But,  talkin'  about  fight,"  resumed  he,  "  puts  me 
in  mind  o'  the  mix  up  at  the  club  last  night.  Mart 
Kelly  didn't  do  a  t'ing  but  open  up  Hogan  wit'  a 
jack." 

Murphy  sneered.  "  Kelly's  gittin'  to  be  a  reg'lar 
slugger,"  said  he.  "What  was  the  matter?" 

"  Oh,  he  was  a-shootin'  off  his  mouth  like  he  always 


26  THE  RAGGED  EDGE 

does.  He  said  his  old  man  was  the  best  councilman 
the  ward  ever  had;  Hogan  was  about  half  drunk,  and 
he  said  he  was  a  stiff,  and  had  trun  down  the  party. 
Then  they  clinched  and  Kelly  started  to  hammer  him." 

All  was  now  quiet  in  the  street  except  foi  the  rattle 
of  an  occasional  wagon,  and  the  faint  wheeze  of  a 
broken  accordion  being  played  down  the  alley.  A 
barb  of  yellow  sunlight  shot  through  the  window  and 
fell  upon  a  bright  lithograph  of  the  Virgin  which  was 
tacked  upon  the  wall  near  Larry's  bed.  He  had  bought 
this  years  before  and  he  had  always  kept  it  because 
he  thought  it  looked  like  his  dead  mother.  Across 
the  room  was  a  large  photograph  of  Larkin  in  ring 
costume,  as  he  had  appeared  just  previous  to  his 
desperate  battle  with  the  champion  of  the  sixth  ward ; 
and  under  this  again  was  pasted  a  policy  slip  with 
three  numbers  underscored,  commemorative  of  the 
day  that  same  gentleman  had  struck  the  "  Hard 
Luck  Row,"  at  Levitsky's  policy  shop,  and  gotten  his 
name  down  upon  the  books  of  the  tenth  police  dis 
trict  as  a  "  drunk  and  disorderly." 

"  I  wonder,"  said  Larry,  his  eyes  dwelling  soberly 


THE  RAGGED  EDGE  27 

upon  the  Jewish  face  of  the  Virgin,  "  how  the  old 
one  is  ?  " 

"  I  saw  Rosie  O'Hara  stan'in'  in  the  door  last  night," 
returned  Jimmie,  "  an'  she  said  that  he  was  as  good 
as  gone." 

"I'm  sorry,"  said  Larry.  Then  catching  the  look 
which  Larkin  threw  him,  he  added :  "  He  never  done 
nothin'  to  me,  sure;  but  when  I  was  a  kid  an'  me 
father  was  a-Hvin',  he  told  me  never  to  knock," 

The  plaster  ceiling  was  seamed  with  cracks,  dis 
colored  by  the  soaking  through  of  rain,  Larkin,  lying 
on  his  back,  thoughtfully  followed  the  longest  of  these 
with  his  eye ;  and  when  he  had  reached  its  termination, 
he  said; 

"  If  youse  was  in  with  yer  gran'dad  just  now, 
Larry,  ye'd  come  in  for  some  o'  the  gilt." 

Murphy  turned  about  with  a  jerk  that  threatened 
to  end  the  cot's  unity. 

"  I  don't  want  his  coin ;  I  wouldn't  make  a  play  for 
it  if  I  was  flat  on  me  uppers !  I  said  that  I  was  sorry 
for  trie  old  man,  not  that  I  would  scoop  his  money  after 
he  was  planted !  " 


18  THE  RAGGED  EDGE 

"  Keep  yer  shirt  on,"  said  Larkin ;  "  I  was  on'y 
sayin',  ye  know." 

Mrs.  McGonagle's  son,  Goose,  was  seated  upon  an 
empty  cracker  box  in  front  of  Clancy's  grocery;  his 
wagon  was  drawn  up  at  the  curb,  and  a  small  Italian 
was  shining  his  russet  leather  shoes.  His  mother  came 
up,  panting  and  wheezing  from  her  haste. 

"  Run  intill  the  house !  "  she  exclaimed  breathlessly. 

"  All  right ;  I'm  gittin'  me  leathers  shined,"  said  her 
son. 

"  Faith  yez  shine  kin  wait,  an'  somethin'  ilce  can't." 
Mrs.  McGonagle  dropped  upon  a  salt-fish  barrel,  re 
gardless,  in  her  excitement,  of  what  effect  the  brine 
would  have  upon  her  church-going  skirt.  "  Run  "  she 
continued,  "  an'  tell  Larry  Murphy  that  his  poor  owld 
gran'father's  at  death's  door  an'  wants  till  spake  till 
him." 

Goose  stared  at  her  incredulously. 

"  G'way,"  said  he. 

"  Don't  sit  there  starin'  at  me,  all  as  wan  as  a 
County  Down  peat  cutter,  but  go  at  wanst !  Divil  an 
other  step  cud  I  stir  iv  the  gates  av  Heaven  wur 
stan'in'  open  till  me !  " 


THE  RAGGED  EDGE  49 

Within  a  minute  after  hearing  the  above  tidings 
McGonagle  came  charging  up  the  crooked  steps  lead 
ing  to  their  lodger's  room,  like  a  drove  of  mavericks. 

"  Git  into  yer  rags,  Murphy,"  cried  he,  "  yer 
wanted." 

"  Is  it  about  Kelly  an'  Hogan?  "  asked  Larry.  "  I 
ain't  no  witness.  I  didn't  see  the  scrap." 

"  No,  it's  yer  gran'father ;  he's  a  cashin'  in,  an'  wants 
to  see  youse.  Me  mother  jist  told  me." 

Larry  was  out  on  the  floor  like  a  shot,  pulling  on 
his  clothes  and  talking  incoherently. 

"  I  kin  hear  the  song  they'll  sing,"  said  he.  "  They'll 
pull  me  into  rags;  ain't  that  right,  Larkin?  Where's 
me  collar  buttons  ?  " 

"  Look  in  yer  other  shirt,"  Jimmie  was  also  up,  and 
dressing  rapidly.  Murphy  found  the  missing  articles 
and  resumed : 

"  They'll  say  I  wus  on'y  waitin'  fer  a  chance  to  get 
next  to  the  gilt."  The  thought  seemed  to  anger  him 
and  he  glared  at  his  friends.  "  But  it  ain't  so,"  he 
cried,  "so  help  me  God,  it  ain't!  I  don't  want  the 
coin ;  I've  got  a  job,  ain't  I  ?  And  I've  went  up  against 
it  this  far,  alone,  an'  I  kin  go  the  rest  o'  the  distance, 


30  THE  RAGGED  EDGE 

too."  He  turned  to  the  others,  an  appeal  in  his  voice. 
"  Did  I  ever  make  a  play  ?  Speak  out,  did  I  ?  " 

"  Sure  not,"  said  McGonagle. 

"  Yer  raw  there,  Murphy,"  said  Larkin.  "  If  youse 
hadn't  been  afeared  o'  what  people'd  say  the  old  man'd 
shook  yer  hand  long  ago." 

Larry  drew  in  the  slack  of  his  suspenders  and  closed 
the  catch  with  a  snap.  He  looked  at  Larkin  in  sur 
prise;  this  was  a  thought  that  had  never  struck  him. 

"  D'  ye  t'ink  so?  "  was  all  he  said. 

"  I  cert'ny  do.  I  often  seen  youse  brush  elbows  with 
him  on  the  street,  and  him  turn  and  look  after  ye. 
He'd  a-spoke  to  ye  if  youse  had  give  him  on'y  half  a 
chance,  see  ?  " 

"  Didn't  he  have  a  chance  when  I  was  a  kid  ?  Didn't 
he  have  a  chance  when  me  father  died  and  the  neigh 
bours  in  the  alley  had  to  take  up  a  collection  to  bury 
him?  Did  he  do  anyt'ing  for  me  then?  Not  on  yer 
life,  he  didn't!  He  let  'em  put  me  in  a  Home." 

"  But,  say,  that  wuz  a  dead  long  time  ago,  ain't  that 
right?  If  youse  put  a  stick  o'  wood  in  the  stove  it'll 
burn  hard  at  first,  won't  it — but  it'll  burn  out  at  last, 
eh?  The  old  one  was  leary  on  yer  father  then;  but, 


THE  RAGGED  EDGE  31 

say,  take  it  from  me,  the  blaze  went  down  long  ago, 
and  it's  bin  a  kid  game  ever  since;  neither  one  o' 
youse'd  speak  first." 

Larry  buttoned  up  his  square-cut  sack  coat  and 
looked  at  his  tie  in  the  little  glass  near  the  stairway. 

"  That  might  be  all  right,"  said  he;  "  but  look  at  the 
time  he — "  here  he  stopped  short  and  then  added: 
"  I  don't  want  to  knock.  I  promised  that  I  wouldn't 
and  it's  too  late  to  begin  now." 


Chapter  IV 


"  When  yer  flat  on  yer  back,  wit'  a  doctor  as  referee 
an'  a  train'd  nurse  holdin'  the  towel,  why  it's  up  t' 
youse,  Cull,  it's  up  t'  youse!" 

CHIP  NOLAN'S  REMARKS. 

jj    RED-FACED,  bare-armed  woman  opened  a 

/  j         door  in  Murphy's  court  and  threw  a  pan  of 

garbage  into  the  gutter.     Her  next  door 

neighbour  was    walking   up    and    down    the    narrow 

strip    of  sidewalk,    hushing    the    cry  of  a    weazened 

baby. 

"  Is  Jamsie  not  well,  Mrs.  Burns  ?  "  inquired  the  red- 
faced  woman. 

"  Sorry  the  bit,  Mrs.  Nolan ;  he's  as  cross  as  two 
sticks.  It's  walk  up  an'  down  the  floor  wid  him  I've 
been  doin'  all  the  God's  blessed  night.  Scure  till  the 
wink  av  slape  I've  had  since  I  opened  me  two  eyes  at 
half  after  foive  yisterday  mornin'." 

"  Poor  sowl !  Yez  shud  ^it  him  a  rubber  ring  till 
32 


THE  RAGGED  EDGE  33 

cut  his  teeth  on;  it's  an  illigant  t'ing  for  childer',  I'm 
towld." 

Contractor  McGlory's  stables  and  cart  sheds  stood 
on  the  opposite  side  of  the  court.  A  young  man  sat 
on  a  feed-box  in  the  doorway  polishing  a  set  of 
light  harness;  a  group  of  dirty  children  were  playing 
under  an  up-tilted  cart,  and  a  brace  of  starving  curs 
fought  savagely  up  the  alley  over  a  mouldy  bone.  Mrs. 
Nolan  called  to  the  young  man: 

"  An'  sure,  is  it  out  drivin'  yez'ed  be  goin'  so  arly 
on  Sunday  mornin',  Jerry?" 

"  On'y  a  little  spin,"  said  the  youth.  "  I  want  to 
try  out  a  new  skate  what  the  old  gent  bought  at  the 
bazar."  He  rubbed  away  in  industrious  silence  for  a 
moment  and  then,  nodding  toward  a  clean-looking 
brick  house  at  the  end  of  the  court,  inquired : 

"  Did  youse  see  Johnnie  Kerrigan  go  in  ?  " 

"  Is  it  young  Kerrigan  go  intill  Murphy's !  "  Mrs. 
Nolan  seemed  dumbfounded. 

"  Not  the  saloon-keeper's  son  that  do  be  at  the 
'torneyin' !  "  cried  Mrs.  Burns. 

"  That's  the  guy,"  said  Jerry.  "  He  went  in  a  c©uple 
o'  minutes  ago." 


34  THE  RAGGED  EDGE 

Mrs.  Nolan  looked  at  her  neighbour,  and  the  latter 
lady  returned  the  look  with  interest. 

"  I  declare  till  God !  "  said  the  former,  "  Iv  that  don't 
bate  all  I  iver  heerd  since  the  day  I  wur  born.  Sure 
an'  his  father  an'  owld  Larry  have  been  bitter  at  wan 
another  for  years." 

"  It's  forgivin'  his  enemies  he'll  be  doin'  now  that 
the  breath  do  be  lavin'  him,"  said  Mrs.  Burns.  "  Divil 
the  fear  av  him  forgivin'  me  the  bit  av  rint  I  owes 
him,  though,"  she  added  bitterly. 

"  There's  worse  than  old  Murphy,"  said  Jerry. 
"Kelly's  got  his  net  out  after  the  court,  an'  if  he 
lands  it,  it  won't  be  long  before  youse  find  it  out, 
either." 

But  Mrs.  Burns  could  only  think  of  the  crusty  old 
harpy  who  went  from  door  to  door  down  the  court  on 
the  first  day  of  the  month,  the  skinny  old  claw  that 
reached  out  so  graspingly  for  the  rent,  the  leathery 
old  face  frowning  blackly  upon  delay,  of  the  bitter 
tongue  that  spat  venom  into  the  faces  of  all  not  ready 
to  pay.  And  for  the  life  of  her,  the  good  woman 
could  think  of  none  worse  than  old  Larry  Murphy  to 
deal  with. 


THE  RAGGED  EDGE  35 

"  Faix  an'  he'd  take  the  bit  av  bread  out  av  the 
children's  mouths,"  declared  she. 

A  flock  of  grimy  sparrows  suddenly  lit  upon  the 
roof  of  the  stable,  chattering,  fluttering  and  fighting 
madly;  one  of  the  quarrelling  dogs  had  been  defeated 
and  licked  his  wounds  and  howled  dolefully ;  a  drunken 
man,  passing  the  end  of  the  court,  pitched  into  the 
gutter  and  lay  there. 

"  Mother  av  Heaven !  "  exclaimed  Mrs.  Nolan  with 
a  suddenness  that  caused  her  neighbour  to  jump.  She 
was  pointing  toward  the  house  spoken  of  as  Murphy's. 
"Look  there!" 

Young  Larry  Murphy  was  standing1  upon  the  white 
stone  step;  he  had  just  pulled  the  door  bell  softly; 
and  catching  the  astonished  stare  of  the  two  women,  he 
swore  at  them  under  his  breath. 

"They're  next  already,"  he  muttered.  "They'll 
chew  me  up,  an'  spit  me  out,  an'  laugh  about  it !  Why 
don't  the  fagots  stay  in  the  house ! " 

The  door  opened  and  he  went  in,  leaving  them  star 
ing  at  the  house  over  which  death  was  hovering. 

Clean  and  fresh-looking  the  house  stood  among  its 
squalid  surroundings  of  dirty  stables,  frowsy,  ill- 


36  THE  RAGGED  EDGE 

smelling  drains  and  pestilential  manure  pits.  Its  stone 
steps  were  spotless,  the  brass  bell  knob  was  as  bright 
as  burnished  gold,  the  pretty  curtains  at  the  windows 
like  snow.  And  this  was  the  home  of  the  landlord 
of  the  court — the  clean,  bright,  comfortable  home  he 
had  dreamed  of  years  before,  when  he  stepped  from 
the  emigrant  ship  to  begin  life  in  a  new  land. 

He  was  dying  now,  and  the  money  for  which  he  had 
slaved  and  demeaned  himself — the  money  which  he 
had  hoarded  and  loved — was  about  to  pass  from  him. 
Once  more  he  was  going  to  begin  in  a  new  land,  and 
a  land  where  hard  craft  was  as  nothing  beside  clean 
hands.  Not  that  old  Larry  had  ever  exacted  more 
than  his  due;  but  he  had  stood  flat-footed  for  that, 
in  spite  of  prayers  and  tears;  and  the  reckoning  was 
now  at  hand. 

The  door  Had  been  opened  for  young  Larry  by  a 
stout,  heavy-browed  man,  dressed  in  decent  black ;  and 
as  he  stood  aside  for  the  youth  to  pass  him  in  the 
narrow  entry,  he  showed  his  discoloured  teeth  in  a 
sneer. 

"  So  ye  have  hurried  here  at  wanst,  eh  ?  "  said  he. 


THE  RAGGED  EDGE  37 

"  Divil  the  foot  have  yez  iver  put  in  the  house  afore, 
Larry?" 

"  It's  manners  to  wait  till  yer  asked,"  returned  Larry 
gruffly. 

The  stout  man  closed  the  door.  The  house  was 
soundless,  and  there  was  a  heavy  smell  of  sickness; 
the  door  of  the  sitting  room  stood  partly  open,  and 
Larry  caught  the  rustle  of  skirts. 

"  I  knowed  yez'ed  come,"  continued  the  man  who 
had  admitted  him.  "  Ah,  but  it's  the  sharp  wan  yez 
are,  Larry." 

The  youth  turned  and  grasped  the  door  knob.  "  I 
knowed  how  it'd  be,"  snarled  he,  looking  savagely 
over  his  shoulder  at  the  stout  man.  "  I'll  lick  youse 
for  this,  Kelly!" 

He  jerked  open  the  door  and  was  about  to  depart 
when  a  woman's  voice  called : 

"  Mr.  Murphy !  "  A  girl  had  come  into  the  entry 
from  the  sitting  room ;  she  was  tall  and  slim ;  a  bright 
spot  burned  in  each  cheek  and  she  coughed  slightly  as 
the  draft  from  the  open  door  struck  her.  She  held  out 
her  hand. 


38  THE  RAGGED  EDGE 

il  I'm  glad  that  you've  come,"  said  she.  "  Your 
grandfather  has  been  asking  for  you  again.  Were  you 
going  away  ?  " 

"  Yes,"  said  Larry.  He  closed  the  door  and  took 
the  proffered  hand,  ashamed  of  the  anger  which  Kelly 
had  awakened.  She  looked  into  his  face  with  quiet, 
candid  eyes* 

"  That  was  wrong,"  she  said.  "  He  is  very  low ; 
will  you  come  up  ?  " 

He  silently  followed  her  up  stairs.  Kelly  entered 
the  sitting  room  and  stood  by  the  window;  his  heavy 
brows  were  bent  and  his  lips  were  muttering.  The 
people  were  streaming  back  from  the  church,  across 
the  railroad ;  the  sooty  shifting  engine  was  still  making 
up  its  train,  panting  and  whistling  like  some  asthmatic 
animal;  a  priestly-looking  young  man  paused  at  the 
door  of  the  house  and  looked  up  at  the  number. 

"  Father  DawsOn,"  muttered  Kelly  hurrying  to  open 
the  door.  "  He  tuk  his  toime  comirt',  faith." 

The  sick  man,  parchment-faced  and  wasted  by  dis 
ease,  lay  upon  his  bed;  his  lips  were  moving,  and  his 
gaunt  hands  clutched  the  ivory  crucifix.  The  wax 


THE  RAGGED  EDGE  39 

candles  burned  upon  a  table;  beside  them  stood  a 
glass  bowl  of  water  blessed  at  Easter  time;  a  bisque 
image  of  the  Virgin  stood  upon  a  shelf,  and  Rosie 
O'Hara  knelt  before  it,  her  head  bent,  her  eyes  fixed 
upon  the  floor.  Young  Kerrigan  sat  beside  the  bed, 
reading  a  newly  written  paper;  the  sun  slanted  in 
between  the  partly  closed  blinds  and  lay  like  a  bar 
of  gold  upon  the  floor. 

"You  have  stated  your  wishes  very  clearly,  Mr. 
Murphy,"  said  the  attorney,  "  and  I  see  nothing  that 
should  be  changed." 

The  old  man  opened  his  eyes  and  tried  to  sit  up. 
"  Mary !  "  said  he.  "  Where's  Mary?  " 

"  Here,  Uncle  Larry."  The  girl  knelt  beside  him 
and  smoothed  his  pillow.  "  You  must  lie  still,"  said 
she,  gently. 

"  Ye  will  be  a  witness  till  me  mark,"  said  he,  faintly, 
"an'  so  must  Rosie.  Is  she  here?" 

"  Yes  Uncle,  she's  here." 

"  The  sight  do  be  lavin'  me.  An'  the  b'y  ?  Did  he 
say  he'd  come,  Mary  ?  " 

"  He's  here,  Uncle  Larry."     She  took  the  young 


40  THE  RAGGED  EDGE 

man's  hand  and  placed  it  within  that  of  his  grand 
father  :  and  once  more  the  old  man  strove  to  lift  him 
self,  peering  at  the  other  with  dim  eyes. 

"  An'  this  is  Mike's  son  ?  "  he  muttered. 

"Yes,  sir."  Larry  would  have  liked  to  have  said 
"  Grandfather,"  but  somehow  it  stuck  in  his  throat. 
He  looked  upon  the  old  man  with  awed,  wondering 
eyes ;  it  was  the  first  person  he  had  ever  seen  upon  the 
threshold  of  death;  and  the  drawn  face,  wet  with  the 
death  damp,  sent  a  chill  through  him. 

"  I  didn't  do  right  by  yez  father,  Larry,"  said  the 
sick  man,  "  I  t'ought  a  curse  lay  upon  him  for  marryin' 
yez  mother ! " 

Larry  stepped  back  from  the  bedside,  and  Mary 
Carroll's  quiet  eyes  alone  kept  back  the  angry  words 
that  leaped  to  his  lips  in  his  mother's  defence.  His 
mother — that  oriental-eyed  mother — bring  a  curse 
upon  anyone!  The  words  still  sounded  in  his  ears  as 
he  looked  down  at  the  shrunken  form,  pity  contending 
with  anger  in  his  heart. 

His  mother  had  died  a  Christian ;  she  had  deserted, 
in  fear  and  trembling,  the  faith  of  her  fathers;  she 
had  knelt  before  the  altar  raised  to  the  Nazarene  Car- 


THE  RAGGED  EDGE  41 

penter,  and  strove  with  all  the  power  of  her  tortured 
soul  to  believe  that  He  was  the  same  God  who  had 
spoken  to  the  Law-Giver  of  her  tribe  upon  the  heights 
of  Sinai.  And  she  had  done  all  this  through  love  for 
his  father,  the  father  whom  this  hard  old  man  had  dis 
owned. 

"  I  wud  niver  knowed  better  iv  it  hadn't  a-been  for 
Mary;  she  made  me  see  it;  it  wur  her  that  towld  me 
av  the  black  wrong  I  done  yez,  both.  I'll  make  up  for 
it,  Larry,  I'll  make  it  up,  never  fear !  "  The  old  man 
paused  for  a  moment,  his  face  twitching.  "  D'ye 
t'ink  it's  too  late?"  he  added  eagerly. 

"  It's  never  too  late."  And  thinking  to  soothe  the 
fears  that  gripped  at  the  darkening  brain,  Larry  added. 
"  It  wasn't  much,  ye  know." 

"  But  it  wur,  lad,  it  wur.  Ye  don't  know  the  gredge 
I  wanst  held  in  me  heart  agin  yez  both.  Didn't  I  walk 
the  flure,  when  he  lay  dead  beyant  there  at  O'Connor's, 
half  mad  wid  the  thinkin'?  I  t 'ought  till  give  him  a 
daysint  berryin*  an'  bring  yezself  home  here;  but  the 
divil  got  the  better  av  me,  lad,  so  he  did!  Yez 
don't  know  the  black  bitterness  I've  held  against  yez; 
yez  don't  "know!" 


42  THE  RAGGED  EDGE 

The  agitation  seemed  to  exhaust  him ;  he  sank  back, 
a  thin  streak  of  blood  showing  on  his  purple  lips. 

"  Don't  excite  yourself,  Uncle  Larry,"  said  Mary. 
"  That  is  all  past  and  gone  now ;  Larry  has  forgiven 
you,  and  his  father  has,  too," 

A  smile  of  hope  flickered  over  the  face  of  the  sick 
man,  and  the  girl  kissed  the  withered  cheek.  The 
youth  with  the  screed  leaned  forward. 

"  Hadn't  he  better  attend  to  this,"  whispered  he ; 
"  he  may  die  at  any  moment,  now.  This  meeting,  or 
rather  the  prospect  of  it,  was  all  that  kept  him  up." 

The  old  man  caught  the  words. 

"  Is  that  young  Kerrigan  ?  "  breathed  he ;  "  yez  are 
.  right,  Johnnie;  soign  me  name,  lad,  an'  I'll  make  me 
mark." 

The  name  was  attached  to  the  paper,  the  mark  was 
made  and  the  two  girls  witnessed  it.  Kerrigan  folded 
the  paper  and  put  it  into  his  pocket;  the  old  man  lay 
back  upon  his  pillow  and  seemed  scarce  to  breathe ;  his 
chest  was  sunken,  his  eyes  stared  vacantly.  A  dog 
yelped  dolefully  below  in  the  court ;  from  the  railroad 
came  the  hiss  of  escaping  steam  and  the  grind  .of 
wheels.  Kelly  opened  the  door  softly,  and  said : 


THE  RAGGED  EDGE  43 

"  Father  Dawson's  comin'  up."  He  returned  into 
the  passage  and  looked  over  the  stair  rail.  "  This  way, 
Father,"  said  he. 

The  pure-faced  young  priest  came  into  the  room. 
Mary's  lips  trembled  and  her  voice  broke  slightly  as 
she  greeted  him. 

"  Bear  up,"  said  he  gently ;  "  death  is  the  common 
lot ;  and  then  he  is  very  old."  He  bent  over  the  bed ; 
the  bar  of  light  had  shifted  and  old  Larry's  hair 
shone  like  silver  under  its  warm  touch.  "  He  should 
have  the  last  rites  of  the  Church,"  said  the  priest. 
Then  turning  to  Kelly  and  Larry  he  added :  "  I  will 
ask  you  to  leave  the  room  for  a  few  moments,  please. 
You  may  stay,"  to  Kerrigan,  who  had  moved  toward 
the  door  with  the  others.  "  I  may  need  you." 

The  two  men  stood  in  the  passage  for  a  time  in 
silence ;  Rosie  could  be  heard  sobbing  heavily,  and  the 
priest's  voice  murmured  holy  words.  At  length  Kelly 
spoke : 

"  What  wur  Kerrigan  called  in  for?  "  asked  he. 

"  I  didn't  know  he  was  called  in,"  answered  Larry. 

Kelly  regarded  him  for  a  moment,  disbelief  written 
upon  his  face.  Then  he  resumed,  anxiously: 


44  THE  RAGGED  EDGE 

"  Did  the  owld  man  put  his  mark  till  anything?  " 

"Yes!" 

"  Ah !  "  and  Kelly  bent  his  heavy  brows.  "  Wur 
there  anything  mention  av  Martin  an'  meself  ?  " 

"  I  didn't  hear  nobody  mentioned." 

"  Humph !  "  Kelly  bit  the  nail  of  his  thumb  viciously 
and  spat  over  the  stair  rail.  Then,  after  a  pause, 
longer  than  the  first,  he  said :  "  How  is  the  toide  ?  " 

"  I  don't  know." 

"  Tim  Burns  says  it's  on  the  stan',"  said  Kelly.  "  An' 
whin  it  goes  down,  he'll  go  out  wid  it." 

They  waited  in  silence  after  this;  Rosie's  sobs  had 
ceased,  the  clergyman  was  reciting  the  litany  for  the 
dying,  and  the  others  were  giving  the  responses.  And 
then  their  voices  were  hushed ;  there  was  a  stir  in  the 
room ;  the  door  opened  and  Mary  came  out. 

"  Mr.  Murphy,"  said  she,  "  will  you  hurry  over  to 
O'Connor's  and  tell  him  to  come,  at  once?  " 


Chapter  V 


"  He'd  strop  up  his  razor,  graceful  an'  nice, 
An'  then  from  your  face  he'd  carve  off  a  slice. 
Your  life  from  the  gallows!     Ye  couldn't  be  vexed, 
When  Tecumsha  O'Riley's  calling  out  '  next!  " 

COMIC  SONG. 

r^CHWARTZ'S  barber  shop  stood  almost  within 
\  the  shadow  of  the  church  tower.  The  gas 
light  streamed  through  his  plate  window  and 
across  the  sidewalk ;  a  row  of  customers  lined  up 
along  the  wall,  waiting  their  turn  in  the  chair;  the 
fat  proprietor  stropped  a  razor  and  conversed  with  a 
short  man  who  stood  at  the  stove  rubbing  a  freshly 
reaped  chin.  A  large  aired  man,  with  a  dyed  mous 
tache,  was  pulling  a  pair  of  kid  gloves  over  hands 
too  large  for  them.  He  wore  a  light  overcoat,  a  silk 
hat,  a  flower  in  his  buttonhole  and  seemed  to  sweat 
importance.  This  was  Squire  Moran,  thrice  elected 
to  the  minor  judiciary  and  a  power  in  the  ward. 

45 


46  THE  RAGGED  EDGE 

"  Ach ! "  exclaimed  Schwartz,  "  dot  vas  too  pad, 
Misder  Puras." 

"  It's  gittin'  a  bit  wurried  I  am,"  said  the  little  man ; 
"  for  what  kin  a  body  be  doin'  wit'out  a  bit  av 
wurk." 

"  Sure  I  t'ought,  Squire,"  said  Clancy,  the  grocer, 
who  lay  back  in  the  barber's  chair,  tucked  about  with 
towels,  "  that  yez  wur  goin'  till  give  Tim  a  job  in 
the  water  daypartment." 

"  There's  many  a  slip,  Clancy,"  quoth  his  honour, 
struggling  with  the  gloves.  "  I'm  not  the  only  duck 
in  the  pond,  ye  know;  and  it's  Tim's  own  fault  that 
he  ain't  in  the  department  long  ago." 

"  How's  that  ?  "  queried  the  grocer. 

"  McQuirk's  against  him,"  answered  Moran. 

Mr.  Burns  looked  downhearted;  the  others  nodded 
sagaciously  as  though  the  reason  given  was  all  suf 
ficient. 

"  I  almost  got  down  on  my  knees  to  him,"  went  on 
the  magistrate,  "but  he  said  no;  so  what  can  I  do?" 

"What's  he  sore  on  Tim  for?"  asked  Goose  Mc- 
Gonagle  who,  in  a  bright  scarlet  tie,  sat  near  the 
wastistand. 


THE  RAGGED  EDGE  47 

"  I  wouldn't  vote  for  O'Connor,"  Burns  hastened  to 
say.  "  Sure  Gartenheim  did  me  a  favour  wanst ;  an' 
wud  yez  have  me  go  back  on  a  friend  ? " 

A  murmur  went  around  the  room. 

"  But  O'Connor  was  the  reg'lar  nominee,  argued 
Moran,  "  an'  if  it  hadn't  been  for  the  push  that  turned 
in  for  Gartenheim,  O'Connor  'ud  be  holdin'  down  the 
office  instead  of  Kelly.  McQuirk's  dead  leary  on  split 
tickets — unless  he  gives  the  order — an'  he  told  ye  at 
the  time  that  he'd  remember  ye  for  it." 

"  He  had  little  till  do,"  mumbled  Clancy. 

Moran  laughed.  "  What  the  boss  don't  know  about 
practical  politics  ain't  worth  knowin',"  said  he.  "  An' 
it's  the  little  things  what  holds  the  party  in  line.  So 
stick  to  McQuirk  an'  McQuirk  '11  stick  to  you."  He 
had  succeeded  with  his  gloves  by  this  time  and  was 
about  to  depart.  "  If  I  can  do  anything  for  you,  Tim," 
he  added,  "  I'll  do  it.  But  when  Mac  says  no,  why 
he  generally  means  it.  Good  night,  everybody." 

"  Niver  talk  till  me  av  politicians,"  said  Clancy ;  "  be 
dad  they're  all  tarred  wid  wan  stick.  An'  divil  a  better 
are  they  across  the  say ;  sure,  I  wur  radin'  in  the  Irish 
World  that  Redmond  do  be  at  his  tricks  wanst  more." 


48  THE  RAGGED  EDGE 

"  D'yez  say  so,"  exclaimed  Burns ;  "  ah,  but  the  owld 
dart  is  in  a  bad  way  betune  thim  all." 

"  Redmond  do  be  after  firin'  off  some  illigant 
spaches,"  put  in  Malachi  O'Hara,  from  behind  a  news 
paper,  "  an'  he's  an  able  lad,  so  he  is.  Didn't  he  take 
up  for  Parnell  whin — " 

"  Parnell !  "  Clancy  snorted  his  disgust  so  violently 
as  to  endanger  his  safety  from  the  barber's  razor. 
"  Don't  talk  till  me  av  that  felly." 

"  Yez  wur  a  Parnell  man  yezself  wanst,  Clancy," 
said  Burns,  with  an  elaborate  wink  at  the  others. 
"  Sure,  I  see  the  chromo  av  him  that  came  with  the 
Freeman's  Journal  nailed  up  on  yez  wall  overight  the 
kitchen  dure." 

"  An'  divil  a  long  it  stayed  out  av  trie  stove  after 
he  wur  found  out,"  said  the  grocer  stoutly. 

"  Filled  up,  Schwartz  ?  "  cried  Jerry  McGlory,  pok 
ing  his  head  in  at  the  doorway. 

"  Gome  in,  Mr.  McGlory ;  dere's  nod  many  aheat  of 
you." 

Jerry  entered,  greeted  his  acquaintances,  and  hung 
up  his  coat. 

"Coin'  to  the  wake?"  asked  he  of  O'Hara. 


THE  RAGGED  EDGE  49 

"  'Twuld  be  but  daysint  fer  me  till  pay  my  rayspects 
till  the  family.  Are  yez  goin'  yezself  ?  " 

"  Sure !  There'll  be  a  mob  there,  though."  Then 
turning  to  the  youth  in  the  scarlet  tie  he  inquired: 
"Well,  what  d'ye  know,  McGonagle?" 

Mr.  McGonagle  had  just  finished  a  graphic  descrip 
tion,  for  the  benefit  of  his  right-hand  neighbour,  of  the 
last  performance  of  a  "  brass  back "  cock,  the  vic 
torious  veteran  of  a  score  of  mains,  and  answered 
affably : 

"  Nothin'  much.  On'y  the  selectman's  the  sorest 
mug  ye  ever  put  yer  lamps  on.  If  ye'd  touch  him  wit' 
a  wet  finger,  he'd  sizzle." 

"  Arrah,  yer  right,  Goose,"  confirmed  Burns.  "  I 
stopped  intill  his  place  for  a  sup  av  drink  as  I  wur 
comin'  by,  an'  from  the  talk  av  him  yez  'd  t'ink  young 
Murphy  had  put  his  hand  intill  his  money  drawer." 

"  Divil  mend  him !  "  said  Clancy. 

"  I  heard,"  said  McGlory,  "  that  Mary  Carroll  wasn't 
left  a  cent." 

"D'ye  tell  me  so?"  O'Hara  was  greatly  interested. 

"  Glory  be !  "  ejaculated  Burns ;  "  an'  the  nace  so 
good  till  him." 


50  THE  RAGGED  EDGE 

"  Sure,  Mary  wurn't  his  nace,"  said  Clancy. 

"  Wur  she  not !  Faix  an'  that's  news  till  me,  so 
it  is." 

"  I  heard  me  father  say,"  said  Jerry,  "  that  Mary's 
grandfather  put  up  the  coin  to  bring  old  man  Murphy 
over  here,  and  start  him  in  the  tea  biz.  That  was  a 
good  many  moons  ago;  and  when  her  folks  lost  all 
their  gilt  and  she  was  left  alone,  old  Larry  sent  to 
Dublin  for  her,  and  he's  took  care  o'  her  ever  since." 

"  Begorra,  the  owld  fox  had  a  heart  in  his  body  for 
all !  Bud  scure  till  the  wan  av  me  iver  give  him  credit 
for  it.  God  save  uz,"  resumed  Mr.  Burns,  after  a 
pause,  "  what  a  power  av  money  he  made  at  the  tay 
peddlin'." 

"  He  uster  be  a  great  old  geezer,  didn't  he  ?  "  re 
marked  McGonagle.  "  I  kin  remember  him  as  plain 
as  day  in  his  old  plug  hat,  an'  he  wuz  hot  after  the 
needful,  too." 

"  There  do  be  a  good  profit  in  tay,"  put  in  the  grocer, 
who  was  now  sitting  up,  having  his  hair  brushed; 
"  but  how  he  iver  made  all  av  the  property  he's  left,  be 
peddlin'  it  from  dure  till  dure,  gits  the  better  av  me." 

"  He  had  a  head  for  commerce,  sure,"  put  in  O'Hara. 


THE  RAGGED  EDGE  51 

"  It  wur  himself  that  cud  lay  out  a  dollar  till  advan 
tage  ;  an'  divil  the  bate  av  him  did  iver  I  see  for  buyin' 
chape  an'  sellin'  dear." 

"  He  was  a  winner  if  he  cud  beat  youse  at  that  game, 
O'Hara,"  laughed  McGlory. 

"  Nexd !  "  cried  Schwartz,  as  Clancy  got  out  of  his 
chair.  Malachi  took  the  vacated  place,  a  frown  wrink 
ling  his  brow.  The  grocer,  thinking  of  the  hard 
bargain  which  O'Hara  had  driven  when  he  had  gone  to 
him  for  money,  some  time  before,  winked  at  Jerry, 
delighting  in  the  cut;  and  Schwartz,  as  he  drew  some 
hot  water  from  the  copper  tank  upon  the  stove  into 
O'Hara's  shaving  mug,  grinned  widely. 

"  Dod  vas  a  good  von,  Cherry,"  muttered  he.  "  You 
hid  him  hardt,  ain't  id  ?  " 

Burns,  who  was  gazing  through  the  window,  sud 
denly  uttered  an  exclamation,  rushed  into  the  street 
and  buttonholed  a  young  man  who  was  passing. 

"Is  that  not  Dick  Nolan,  Jerry?  "  asked  Clancy  tie- 
ing  his  four-in-hand  before  the  mirror  over  the  wash- 
stand. 

"  Yes,"  answered  Jerry.  "  I  guess  Tim's  hittm' 
him  for  a  job." 


52  THE  RAGGED  EDGE 

"Be  the  powers!  the  crayture  nades  the  bit  av 
wurk.  The  good  woife  an'  two  childer'  mus'  find  it 
hard ;  an'  Tim's  a  study,  sober  felly." 

In  a  few  minutes  Tim  returned;  his  face  had  a 
brighter  look  and  he  was  lilting  an  old  country  air. 

"  I  go  till  wurk  in  the  mornin',"  said  he  with  a 
rapturous  smile.  "  Young  Nolan  is  a  man  av  his  wurd ; 
he  promised  me  a  job  at  the  first  chance,  an'  now  he 
have  give  me  wan.  McQuirk  an'  his  political  bums 
kin  go  till  the  devil,  for  me !  " 

"  Good  luck,  lad,"  wished  the  grocer.  "  Garten- 
heim  is  the  man  for  yez  till  stick  till." 

"  He  have  the  contract  for  layin'  the  sewer  above,  at 
Frankford,"  went  on  Burns ;  "  an'  he'll  start  till  open 
the  strate  t'morry." 

"  Nolan's  a  good  guy,"  commented  Jerry. 

"  That's  no  joke,"  agreed  McGonagle.  "  He's  a  real 
good  t'ing." 

"  It's  a  pity,"  commented  Clancy,  "  that  his  mother 
is  so  tuck  up  wid  the  sup  av  drink." 

"  Ay !  "  said  Tim,  shaking  his  head  dismally. 

"  She  hocks  everyt'ing  she  kin  carry,"  said  Mc 
Gonagle.  "  Dick  can't  trust  her  wit'  a  cent." 


THE  RAGGED  EDGE  53 

"  Small  blame  till  him,"  said  Clancy ;  "  she'd  git 
drink  wid  it.  He  comes  in  an'  pays  me  bill  every 
Saturday  noight  himself,  poor  b'y." 

"  Makes  big  money,  too,"  remarked  McGonagle ; 
"  and  she  cud  live  like  a  lady  if  she'd  cut  the  bottle. 
It's  hard  lines  for  Dick,  le'me  tell  youse;  for  he's  a 
hard  worker,  an'  he's  got  mighty  big  notions  'bout 
gittin'  to  the  top  o'  the  heap." 

"  That  sister  o'  his  is  a  nice  lookin'  fairy,"  said  Mc 
Gonagle. 

"  Poody  as  a  bicture,"  agreed  Schwartz.  O'Hara 
gave  a  grunt ;  the  barber  snatched  away  his  blade  and 
inquired,  "  Does  der  razor  hurd?  " 

"  Yez  damned  near  cut  me  chin  !  "  growled  the  dealer 
in  second-hand  goods.  "  Shut  up,  an'  tind  till  yez 
wurk." 

"  She's  a  nice  girl  enough,"  said  Jerry,  "  but,  say. 
she's  cert'ny  playin'  Roddy  Ferguson  for  a  dead 
one." 

"  An*  is  Roddy  shparkin'  her,  sure  ? "  inquired 
Clancy. 

"  Sure !  I  never  seen  anybody  so  broke  up  on  a 
bundle  o'  skirts  in  me  life.  Say,  he's  dead  twisted 


54  THE  RAGGED  EDGE 

about  her;  he  talks  about  her  every  time  he  opens 
his  mouth." 

"  Roddy's  a  study  b'y,"  said  Burns.  "  I  heerd  that 
O'Connor  '11  be  takin'  him  intill  the  bizness  wan  av 
these  days.  It's  a  good  man  he'd  make  her." 

"  Dick's  leary  on  him,"  said  McGonagle,  "  he  won't 
let  her  even  look  at  him." 

"  D'yez  say  so !  "  And  Clancy  regarded  the  speaker 
with  great  surprise.  "  Faith  an'  I  t'ought  they  wur 
great  buddies.  They  wint  till  the  Brothers'  School 
together,  an'  in  thim  days,  divil  a  long  they  wur  iver 
apart." 

"  Why  it's  a  chestnut !  "  exclaimed  McGonagle.  "  I 
t'ought  everybody  in  the  ward  was  next  to  that. 
They've  bin  given  each  other  the  stony  smile  ever 
since  las'  election,  when  O'Connor  and  Gartenheim  run 
against  each  other  for  select  council." 

"  Ach !  "  cried  Schwartz,  "  dot  vas  a  hod  dime !  " 

"  The  warmest  ever,"  agreed  McGonagle.  "  It  was 
a  reg'lar  drag  out  or  I  never  seen  one." 

"  Wur  they  not  both  Dimmycrats  ?  "  asked  Tim. 
"  What  call  had  they  till  f eight,  I  dunno  ?  I  wur  in 


THE  RAGGED  EDGE  55 

the  division  at  the  toime,  sure,  bud  I  niver  got  the 
roight  av  the  t'ing." 

"  Why,  when  the  gang  went  to  the  convention  they 
was  split  an'  primed  for  trouble,  see?  One  crowd 
wanted  O'Connor,  an'  the  other  was  a-fracturin'  their 
suspenders  whoopin'  t'ings  up  for  Gartenheim.  And 
when  the  O'Connor  push  got  the  bulge,  the  Dutch 
man's  people  broke  for  the  door,  and  started  a  con 
vention  o'  their  own  upstairs  o'  Swinghammer's  saloon. 
Both  o'  'em  was  in  the  fight  from  that  on,  and  the 
way  they  shovelled  out  the  long  green  'ed  make  youse 
t'ink  they  was  rank  suckers.  Why  a  mug  couldn't 
turn  aroun'  wit 'out  runnin'  into  a  bunch  o'  money." 

"Glory  be!" 

"  Nolan  worked  for  Gartenheim,  of  course ;  he 
couldn't  turn  down  his  own  boss,  ye  know.  An' 
Ferguson  'lectioneered  for  O'Connor  for  the  same 
reason,  see?  An'  he  chased  aroun'  the  ward  waggin' 
his  face  for  votes  an'  givin'  Gartenheim  the  knife 
every  chance  he  got.  On  election  night,"  continued 
McGonagle,  proudly,  "  we  had  the  returns  at  the  club 
by  private  wire,  ye  know,  and  when  Roddy  was  dead 


56  THE  RAGGED  EDGE 

sure  that  Kelly  had  flim-flammed  the  push,  he  opened 
up  on  Nolan  an'  said  that  Gartenheim  had  been  workin' 
wit'  the  other  side,  all  along1.  In  a  minute  they  was 
clinched  an'  the  crowd  had  to  pull  'em  apart.  That's 
how  it  is." 

"  But,  Goose,"  complained  Tim,  "  I  don't  see  how 
Kelly,  who  calls  himself  a  Dimmycrat,  got  on  the  Ray- 
publican  ticket." 

"  He  was  foxy,"  returned  Goose ;  "  I  ain't  stuck  on 
him,  but  I'll  say  that  for  him — he's  dead  foxy.  As 
soon  as  he  seen  his  own  party  split  he  made  a  play  for  a 
place  on  the  other  ticket ;  the  other  side  knowed  that  he 
cud  lift  a  lot  o'  votes  from  us,  and  that  they  cud  win 
wit'  him,  see?  McQuirk  got  onto  the  game  an'  tried 
to  make  a  deal.  But  they  gave  him  the  laugh,  and 
wiped  up  the  ward  wit'  him  on  'lection  day,  wit'  Kelly 
at  the  head  o'  their  column.  The  boss  was  red  hot, 
le'me  tell  youse :  I  heerd  him  in  Kerrigan's  back  room 
the  next  afternoon,  and  he  said  he'd  be  at  Kelly's  finish 
if  it  took  every  cent  he  had  in  his  clothes." 

"  Next  chendt !  "  called  Schwartz.  O'Hara  got  out 
of  the  chair,  and  McGonagle  took  his  place. 

"  It  was  all  blow,  though,"  added  Goose  as  Schwartz 


THE  RAGGED  EDGE  57 

swathed  him  in  clean  towels  and  began  to  apply  the 
lather.  "  He's  got  over  his  spasm,  an'  they're  both  as 
t'ick  as  t'ives.  Say,"  to  the  barber,  "  keep  that  soap 
on  the  outside  o'  me  face,  will  youse ! " 

"  Den  keep  your  face  shud,  aind't  it,"  smiled 
Schwartz. 

Clancy  and  Burns  were  about  to  leave. 

"  We'll  see  yez  at  the  wake,  Jerry,"  said  the  former. 
"  Will  ye  go  along  wid  us,  Malachi  ?  " 

"  I  have  till  go  to  the  length  av  Coogan's  till  see  a 
stove  that  they  do  be  waitin'  me  till  buy,"  answered 
O'Hara,  "  but  I'll  folly  right  after  yez." 

"  Good  night,  gentlemen."  And  the  door  closed 
behind  Mr.  Burns  and  Mr.  Clancy,  who  headed  in  the 
direction  of  Murphy's  Court. 


Chapter  VI 


"  That's  how  they  showed  their  respects  for  Paddy 

Murphy, 

That's  how  they  showed  their  honour  and  their  pride, 
They  said  it  was  a  shame  for  Pat,  and  winked  at  one 

another, 
Everything  in  the  wake-house  went,  on  the  night  that 

'Murphy  died." 

MURPHY'S  WAKE. 

'CONNOR'S  wagon  had  come  and  gone  sev- 
eral  times;  a  black  streamer  hung  from  the 
bell  knob;  the  shutters  were  bowed  with  a 
ribbon  of  the  same  sombre  hue.  Groups  of  chil 
dren  sat  upon  cellar  doors  and  talked  in  whispers; 
slatternly  women  stood  on  doorsteps,  morbidly  watch 
ing  all  who  came  or  went  at  the  house  where  old  Larry 
lay  dead.  Mrs.  Nolan,  her  head  muffled  in  a  woollen 
shawl,  was  leaning  out  at  her  kitchen  window,  like 
wise  engaged,  when  Hogan  the  policeman,  came 
through  the  court  upon  his  evening  round. 

58 


THE  RAGGED  EDGE  59 

"  Are  yez  gpin'  in  ?  "  asked  he,  pausing. 

"  Not  the  noight,"  replied  Mrs.  Nolan,  "  all  me  bits 
av  rags  is  in  the  wash,  an  sorra'  a  t'ing  have  I  till 
put  on  me  back.  Bella  an'  Dick  will,  though,  an'  me- 
silf  will  t'morry  noight,  plaze  God." 

Hogan  drummed  lightly  upon  a  fireplug  with  his 
club.  "  It's  a  Solemn  High  Mass  they'll  be  havin'," 
said  he. 

"  Divil  doubt  it !  An'  there'll  be  a  power  av  hacks 
at  the  funeral ;  Dick  wint  for  wan  till  McGrath's,  bud 
they  wur  all  spoken." 

"  Yez'll  not  be  at  the  Holy  Cross,  thin?  " 

"  Faith,  yiz.  We  have  a  hack  av  O'Connor's,  an' 
it's  go  in  stoyle  we  will."  Mrs.  Nolan  was  looking 
toward  Murphy's  as  she  spoke,  and  suddenly  ex 
claimed,  in  a  startled  voice: 

"  Who  is  that,  Micky,  that  young  McGonagle  have 
be  the  scruff  av  the  neck  ?  Glory  be !  Is  it  f oightin' 
he'd  be  in  front  av  the  house  where  the  corpse  is  ?  " 

A  thick-set  young  man  had  staggered  drunkenly  up 
the  steps  of  Murphy's  house,  just  as  Goose  McGonagle 
halted  before  the  door. 

"  Say  Kelly,"  Goose  had  remarked,  "  don't  youse 


60  THE  RAGGED  EDGE 

t'ink  ye'd  better  sober  up  a  little  before  youse  go  in 
there?" 

The  man  on  the  steps  swayed  to  and  fro  and  re 
garded  him  with  drink-reddened  eyes. 

"  Wha's  it  your  bizh'ness  ?  "  demanded  he.  "  Don't 
ye  put  yer  beak  in  thish,  McGonagle.  D'ye  hear  ?  " 

"  Put  yer  head  to  work,"  advised  Goose,  "  an'  have 
some  sense,  Murphy's  got  enough  trouble  now  wit'out 
youse  botherin'  him,  Mart." 

"  I'm  goin'  in,"  declared  Martin  Kelly,  his  thick 
voice  raising  angrily,  "  an'  what's  more  I'm  a-goin' 
to  lick  Larry  Murphy!  He's  done  me  dirt;  an'  I'm 
a-goin'  to  do  him  up." 

He  tried  to  open  the  door,  but  McGonagle  whirled 
him  off  the  steps. 

"  Ye  ain't  a-goin'  to  kick  up  no  muss  here,  and  that 
goes,"  said  Goose,  decisively ;  "  youse  must  be  daffy, 
ain't  ye?" 

Kelly  had  just  aimed  a  wild  blow  at  McGonagle 
when  Hogan  pounced  upon  him. 

"  So  it's  yezsilf,  Martin,"  sneered  the  policeman ; 
"  it's  a  great  foighter  yez  are  gittin'  to  be !  " 


THE  RAGGED  EDGE  61 

"Take  yer  paws  off  a-me,  Hogan,"  growled  the 
drunken  youth,  struggling.  "  Me  old  man  '11  have 
youse  broke  for  this." 

"  If  ye  don't  quit  makin'  a  monkey  av  yezsilf  it's 
a  ride  in  the  wagon  yez'll  git." 

"  Take  the  lush  away,"  begged  McGonagle ;  "  he'll 
have  the  whole  bloomin'  neighbourhood  up." 

The  expostulating  Martin  was  hustled  down  the 
street  just  as  Mary  Carroll  opened  the  door. 

"  It's  on'y  Mart  Kelly,"  Goose  informed  her,  lifting 
his  hat. 

"  I'm  glad  he's  gone  away,"  said  Mary ;  "  for  he 
was  here  this  afternoon  when  Mr.  Murphy  was  out, 
and  his  talk  was  shameful.  Are  you  coming  in?" 

"  For  a  little  while.  Don't  stand  in  the  draf ' ;  it 
makes  youse  cough."  McGonagle  followed  her  into 
the  sitting  room  where  the  black  box  rested  upon  a  pair 
of  low  trestles.  A  number  of  wax  lights  burned  at  its 
head  and  an  aged  woman  knelt  at  the  foot,  her  withered 
lips  muttering  prayers  for  the  repose  of  the  departed 
soul.  A  dozen  more  women  neighbours  sat  around  the 
room  talking  lowly. 


62  THE  RAGGED  EDGE 

"  The  men  are  all  in  the  kitchen,"  said  Mary  to  the 
young  man,  "  and  I  suppose  you  will  want  to  go  there, 
too." 

"Arrah,  then,  Mary,"  spoke  his  mother  who  sat 
among  the  group  of  women,  "  it's  himself  that  'ud 
stay  here  till  the  cows  come  home  iv  Annie  Clancy 
were  on'y  here." 

A  titter  ran  about  and  Goose  looked  embarrassed. 
"  Don't  mind  her,"  said  he. 

"  Annie's  a  nice  girl,"  said  Mary,  smiling  at  him 
with  her  kind  eyes. 

"  Do  Goose  still  droive  the  milk  wagon,  Mrs.  Mc- 
Gonagle?"  asked  Mrs.  Burns  after  the  young  man 
had  gone  into  the  kitchen. 

"  He  do  that  same,"  proudly,  "  an'  arns  a  good  profit 
ivery  wake." 

The  street  door  had  opened  and  voices  were  heard 
in  the  entry. 

"  It  sounds  like  the  O'Hara's,"  said  Mrs.  McGlory, 
wife  of  the  contractor,  who  sat  in  a  corner  fanning  her 
self,  with  all  the  dignity  of  her  social  position.  Mrs. 
Burns  elevated  her  hands  in  dismay. 

"  They'll  be  keenin',  jewel ! "  she  cried  to  Mary. 


THE  RAGGED  EDGE  63 

"  I  wouldn't  have  it ! "  declared  Mrs.  Clancy,  the 
grocer's  wife.  "  What'll  people  t'ink?  " 

The  O'Hara  sisters  came  bobbing  into  the  room  in 
queer-looking  quilted  bonnets  that  hid  their  faces,  and 
triangularly  folded  shawls  pulled  tightly  about  their 
narrow  shoulders.  Espying  Mary,  they  threw  them 
selves  upon  her  with  lamentations. 

"  Mary,  darlin',"  cried  Bridget,  "  it's  a  heart  full  av 
trouble  yez  have  this  noight !  " 

"  God  be  good  till  yez,  allanna !  "  exclaimed  Ellen, 
"  an'  kape  death  from  uz  all  for  many  a  day !  " 

Then  they  crouched  down  beside  the  ice  box,  betray 
ing  every  symptom  of  great  grief. 

"  Divil  a  tear  did  I  see  in  her  eyes,"  muttered  Ellen. 

"  She's  vexed  at  not  gittin'  the  bit  av  money,"  said 
her  sister  in  the  same  low  tone. 

Then  they  began  muttering  prayers  in  the  Irish 
tongue;  the  others  watched  them,  silently,  from  time 
to  time  exchanging  intelligent  nods.  Then  the  sisters 
began  swaying  their  bodies  back  and  forth  in  unison, 
and  the  other  old  woman  rose  to  her  feet. 

"  It's  comin',"  said  stie,  "  divil  choke  thim !  " 

A  long,  low  wail  burst  from  them  that  immediately 


64  THE  RAGGED  EDGE 

filled  the  kitchen  doorway  with  the  grinning  faces  of 
the  men.  It  was  the  weird  death  cry  of  the  Irish  race, 
with  which  they  lamented  the  passage  of  a  soul,  in 
their  island  home.  Mary  quickly  approached  the 
women  and  spoke  a  few  determined  words;  they 
bounced  upon  their  feet  angrily. 

"  Shame  on  yez,  Mary  Carroll ;"  cried  Ellen. 

"  Is  it  prevint  our  showin'  our  rayspects  till  the  dead 
ye'd  be  doin  ?  "  demanded  Bridget. 

"  The  custom  is  not  understood  in  this  country,"  said 
Mary  quietly;  and  they  flounced  indignantly  down 
upon  the  sofa  and  glowered  about  them. 

"  Luk  at  that  stuck-up  shtrap,  McGlory's  wife, 
makin'  game  av  uz,"  muttered  Bridget.  "  Sure  an' 
iv  she'd  git  her  drunken  brother  out  av  the  House 
av  Correction  't  wud  be  fitter  for  her ! " 

"Ah,  the  big,  fat  hussy !"  exclaimed  Ellen,  "it's 
well  I  raymimber  the  toime  whin  her  owld  man  drove 
an  ash  cart,  an'  hersilf  tuk  in  washin'." 

All  unknowing,  Mrs.  McGlory  was  smoothing  out 
her  silk  dress  and  hoping  that  the  others  noticed  the 
sparkle  of  her  chip  diamond  ring. 

"  Mary,"  inquired  she,  leaning  forward  as  far  as  her 


THE  RAGGED  EDGE  65 

tight  waist  would  permit,  "  is  it  owld  Kate  Sweeney 
yez'll  have  till  lay  him  out  ?  " 

"  I  hadn't  thought  of  that,"  answered  Mary,  "  but 
I  suppose  so." 

"  Kate  do  have  illigant  taste,"  affirmed  Mrs.  Clancy. 

"  Troth  she  do  that !  "  spoke  Mrs.  McGonagle,  "  an' 
sorra  a  few  have  doide  in  the  parish  in  the  last  thirty 
years  that  she  haven't  put  the  shroud  on.  Ye'll  have 
till  have  some  wan,  Mary,  an'  yez  moight  as  well  put 
the  troifle  av  money  in  the  poor  owld  crayture's  way." 

The  door  bell  rang  softly,  and  Mary  went  to  answer 
it. 

"  Is  Rosie  not  here  the  noight  Ellen  ?  "  asked  Mrs. 
Burns. 

"  She  do  be  in  her  bed,  the  crayter,"  answered 
Ellen  rather  stiffly.  "  It's  up  t'ree  nights  han'  runnin' 
she's  bin  wid  him,"  with  a  nod  toward  the  box,  "  as 
he  lay  sick ;  an'  a  bit  av  slape'll  do  her  no  hurt." 

"  Rosie  have  a  good  heart,"  said  Mrs.  Clancy. 

"  True  for  yez,"  put  in  Mrs.  McGonagle,  "  sure  an* 
iv  it  hadn't  been  for  her,  what  'ud  Mary  done  at  all. 
at  all!" 

"  Spakin'  av  Mary,"  said  Mrs.  McGlory ;  "  where 


66  THE  RAGGED  EDGE 

did  she  get  her  eddycation?  It's  carry  herself  very 
ladyloike,  she  do." 

"  She  wur  taught  in  a  convent  in  Dublin,"  said  Mrs. 
Clancy. 

"  I  t'ought  it  wur  somethin'  av  the  koind/'  said  the 
contractor's  wife,  "  seein'  that  she  goes  till  the  altar 
ivery  second  Sunday.  It's  a  good  livin'  girl  she  is." 

"None  better.  But,  God  betune  us  an'  all  harm, 
it's  delicate  she  is.  She  have  a  bad  cough." 

Mary  re-entered,  accompanied  by  a  pretty  girl,  very 
showily  dressed,  and  a  young  man. 

"  How  do  yez  do,  Bella?  "  greeted  Mrs.  McGonagle. 
"An'  is  it  yezsilf  Dick?" 

"  I'm  very  well,  thanks,"  answered  the  girl,  stealing 
a  side  glance  at  the  looking-glass  and  arranging  her 
fluffy  bang.  "  How  have  you  been  ?  " 

"  I  have  me  health,  thanks  be  till  God." 

"  Tim  wur  tellin'  me,  Dick,"  said  Mrs.  Burns,  "  that 
yez  have  got  him  a  job  av  wurk.  It's  pray  for  yez 
this  noight,  I  will." 

"  I  need  it,"  laughed  young  Nolan,  "  so  fire  ahead, 
Mrs.  Burns." 


THE  RAGGED  EDGE  67 

He  walked  back  toward  the  kitchen,  his  sister  fol 
lowing  him. 

"Bella!"  called  Mary,  "won't  you  sit  here?  The 
men  are  all  in  there,  you  know." 

"  I'll  be  back  in  a  second,"  said  Bella,  over  her 
shoulder.  "  I  on'y  want  t'  take  a  peep."  And  she  dis 
appeared  into  the  kitchen. 

"  Hark  till  that !  "  exclaimed  Bridget  O'Hara,  look 
ing  about,  grimly.  "  It's  young  Kelly  she  do  be  lookin' 
after." 

"  She's  a  bowld  wan,  that  t'ing,"  chimed  in  her 
sister. 

"  Yez  shud  be  ashamed  av  yezselves,  both  av  yez !  " 
cried  Mrs.  McGlory,  reddening  with  indignation. 
"  Wud  yez  take  away  the  girl's  ker-act-er ! " 

"  V/e're  sayin'  nawthin'  bud  the  truth,  sure." 

"  Raymimber,  yez  hav  a  nace  av  yer  own !  " 

"  An'  I  wud  have  yez  till  know,  Mary  Ann  McGlory, 
that  she  do  be  a  daysint  girl !  " 

"Wud  ye  say  that  Bella  Nolan  is  not?" 

"  Oh,  hush !  "  said  Mary,  pained  beyond  expression 
at  this  outbreak.  "  Please  do  hush ! " 


68  THE  RAGGED  EDGE 

W'hen  Bella  came  back  into  the  room  she  sat  down 
beside  Mary,  and  began  twisting  a  ring  about  her 
finger,  and  giggling. 

"  I  just  wanted  to  see  if  Mart  Kelly  was  in  there," 
she  said. 

The  sisters  threw  glances  of  triumph  at  the  contrac 
tor's  wife,  and  the  other  women  looked  slyly  at  each 
other  and  shook  their  heads. 

Two  dishes  stood  upon  the  kitchen  table,  one  filled 
with  loose  tobacco,  and  the  other  with  clay  pipes ;  the 
air  was  heavy  with  smoke;  the  elder  men  leaned  back 
and  talked  of  times  past ;  the  younger  grouped  together 
and  discussed  current  events  of  a  sporting  character. 
Larry  sat  upon  the  edge  of  the  table,  swinging  his  feet 
slowly  and  stirring  up  the  tobacco  with  the  yellow 
tipped  stem  of  a  pipe,  a  thoughtful  look  upon  his  face. 

"  It's  a  foine  lot  ye  hav  for  him  at  the  Holy  Cross," 
said  Clancy,  "  marble  at  the  head  an'  feet,  an'  iron 
rails  all  about  it." 

"  That  so  ?    I  never  seen  it,"  Larry  had  answered. 

But  he  had  seen  another  grave,  away  near  the  fence, 
in  the  same  cemetery — a  narrow,  neglected  grave,  flat 
and  bare,  with  a  wooden  cross  above  it — a  grave  that 


THE  RAGGED  EDGE  69 

lay  at  the  end  of  a  long  row  of  others,  the  cramped  rest 
ing  places  of  poor  wretches  whose  lives  had  been  as 
cramped,  and  as  bare,  and  as  flat. 

"  Wid  his  side  face  to'ard  ye,  he  luks  like  the  gran- 
father,"  said  O'Hara,  lowly. 

"  Is  it  loike  old  Larry  ?  "  said  Tim  Burns. 

"  No ;  the  other." 

"  Old  Cohen,  thin.  Sure,  now  that  I  t'ink  av  it,  he 
do.  But  thin  he  hav  the  blood  in  him,  an'  why  not?  " 

"  D'yez  raymember  owld  Aaron,  Clancy  ?  " 

"  Well  do  I.  Faix  an'  I  got  me  clothes  av  him  up 
till  the  toime  he  died.  Divil  a-far  from  crazy  he  wur 
whin  his  girl  ran  off  wid  Mike  Murphy !  An'  iv  owld 
Larry  wur  mad  at  his  b'y's  marryin'  a  Jewess,  the  other 
wur  worse  at  his  dawther  for  takin'  up  wid  a  Christian. 
By  dad,  he  cursed  her  up  hill  an'  down  dale ;  he 
frothed  at  the  mouth,  an'  groun'  his  stumps  av  teeth 
together  loike  a  madman;  an'  nothin'  ud  do  him  bud 
he'd  hav  her  taken  be  the  police.  But  Moran  towld 
him  he  cud  do  nawthin'.  He'd  a  tramped  her  under 
his  feet  wan  day  beyant  on  Second  Street  whin  he  met 
her,  iv  it  hadn't  bin  for  Peter  Nolan,  Dick's  father, 
God  rist  his  sowl  in  glory !  Peter  jumped  out  av  his 


70  THE  RAGGED  EDGE 

cart  an'  dragged  him  away.  Put  Aaron  an'  owld 
Larry  in  a  bag  together,  an'  scure  till  the  wan  cud 
tell  which  'ud  jump  out  the  first,  for  timper." 

The  clock  ticked  and  struck  through  the  hours ;  the 
people  came  and  went  as  is  the  custom.  When  the 
hands  approached  the  hour  of  one,  Tim  Burns  arose. 

"  1  wur  goin'  till  offer  till  sit  up  wid  ye,  Larry," 
said  he,  "  but  as  I  have  me  job  till  go  till  in  the  mornin' 
I  mus'  git  a  bit  av  slape." 

"  Much  obliged,  all  the  same,"  said  Larry.  "  Larkin 
an'  McGonagle  are  goin'  to  stay  with  me." 

"  I'll  be  goin'  mesilf,"  said  Clancy,  reaching  for  his 
hat.  "  I  mus'  have  me  grocery  open  be  four,  be  the 
day." 

There  was  a  general  arising,  putting  on  of  hats  and 
shaking  of  hands  with  Larry;  the  women  had  gone 
long  before ;  and  when  the  clock  struck  again  the  three 
watchers  were  nodding  together  beside  the  kitchen 
range. 


Chapter  VII 


"  Oh  they  laid  him  away, 
On  one  bleak  Winter  day, 
An'  the  sun  he'll  never  see  more." 

BALLADS  OF  BACK  STREETS. 

THURSDAY  morning  broke  clear,  and  before 
the  factory  whistles  had  done  blowing, 
O'Connor  and  Roddy  Ferguson  had  carried 
in  the  coffin,  the  great  brass  candelabra,  and  all 
the  other  things  that  went  to  make  up  O'Connor's 
first-class  funeral.  O'Connor's  arrival  was  followed 
promptly  by  that  of  old  Mrs.  Sweeney,  and  under  their 
practised  hands  things  progressed  rapidly;  for  when 
the  clock  of  St.  Michael's  struck  the  hour  of  nine,  and 
then  began  tolling  sadly,  all  was  ready  and  the  doors 
thrown  open. 

Hacks  from  neighbouring  livery  stables  began  ar 
riving  and  lined  up  at  the  curb,  and  the  friends  of  the 
departed  began  to  gather.  The  women  went  in,  but 


72  THE  RAGGED  EDGE 

the  men,  for  the  most  part,  collected  upon  the  side 
walk.  Frowsy-haired  women  stood  in  groups  at  the 
mouth  of  each  alley  in  the  block,  blue  faced  and  shiver 
ing,  but  anxious  to  miss  nothing.  A  crowd  of  young 
men  were  smoking  and  laughing  near  Clancy's  coal 
box;  the  drivers  of  the  hacks,  in  shabby  livery  coats 
and  grotesque  high  hats,  called  to  each  other  from  their 
high  seats. 

It  wanted  but  a  half  hour  of  the  time  when  the 
cortege  was  to  move  when  Goose  McGonagle  pushed 
his  way  through  the  people  who  were  crowding  in  at 
the  front  door;  he  had  a  band  of  crape  about  his  arm 
and  was  hatless.  Approaching  the  group  at  Clancy's, 
he  said  hurriedly: 

"  I'm  goin'  to  be  a  pall  bearer,  fellas,  and  Larry 
wants  five  o'  youse  to  help.  Talk  quick !  " 

Nolan  and  McGlory  promptly  volunteered. 

"  That  makes  three,"  said  Goose.  "  Won't  youse 
help  to  carry  him,  Larkin  ?  " 

"  Try  to  get  somebody  else,"  begged  Jimmie.  And 
with  a  nod  of  his  head  toward  the  smoky  grey  tower 
from  which  came  the  doleful  strokes  of  the  bell,  he 
added :  "  I  don't  go  there,  ye  know ;  an'  it  might 


THE  RAGGED  EDGE  73 

make  talk  about  Larry,  see?  Here's  Casey  an'  Mike 
McCarty  comin'  up ;  give  'em  a  brace." 

Danny  Casey  who  worked  for  Contractor  McGlory, 
and  Mike  McCarty,  who  drove  a  truck  for  Shannon, 
the  teamster,  and  was  considered  the  best-dressed 
young  man  in  the  ward,  were  promptly  "  braced  "  and 
gave  consent. 

"  I'll  git  another  one  and  give  Ferguson  yer  names," 
said  Goose,  "  an'  he'll  fix  youse  up  with  gloves  and 
crape  for  yer  skypieces." 

And  McGonagle  plunged  into  the  house  with  the 
crowd.  The  prospective  pall-bearers  resumed  their 
comments  upon  the  passing  throng ;  a  pastime  at  which 
they  had  been  interrupted. 

"  Here  comes  Kelly  and  his  wife,"  remarked  Mc 
Glory. 

"  With  Mart  pluggin'  along  behind.  And  he's  half 
lit  up,  too." 

"  Good  mornin',  Mr.  McGlory,"  saluted  Casey  to 
his  employer. 

"How  are  yez,  Danny?"  answered  the  contractor 
as  he  went  by  with  his  wife.  "  Good  mornin'  gintle- 
men." 


74  THE  RAGGED  EDGE 

"  Gee ! "  whispered  Casey,  "  ain't  the  old  lady  a 
swell!" 

"  Git  onto  Clancy's  stove-pipe  lid !  Ain't  it  a  bird !  " 

"  It  was  made  during  the  siege  o'  Limerick,"  said 
McCarty,  "  an'  Clancy's  wore  it  at  every  funeral  an' 
at  every  A.  O.  H.  procession  since  then." 

"  Hello,  Schwartz ;  goin'  to  the  funeral  ?  " 

"Say,"  said  McGlory,  "don't  Rosie  O'Hara  look 
nice  in  black?  Look  at  the  two  old  ones  givin'  their 
wipes  a  shower  bath!  Say,  Larkin,  there's  Rosie 
wavin'  her  hand,  on  the  quiet ;  she  wants  youse." 

Her  aunts  had  gone  in,  but  Rosie  paused  upon  the 
step,  and  Jimmie  was  at  her  side  in  a  moment. 

"  Who  are  ye  goin'  to  walk  with  ?  "  said  she. 

"  With  youse,  if  ye'll  let  me !  "  eagerly. 

Rosie  looked  pleased.  "  Git  our  names  down,"  said 
she,  "  so's  we'll  be  called  out." 

She  entered  the  house  just  as  Roddy  Ferguson  came 
out,  his  hands  full  of  black  cotton  gloves  and  streamers 
of  crape. 

"  Hold  out  yer  fin,  McCarty,"  commanded  Roddy. 
"  Say,  Casey,  youse  kin  tie  a  bow  knot,  so  gimme  a 


THE  RAGGED  EDGE  75 

lift  with  these.  I'd  ask  youse  to  come  inside,  gents," 
went  on  O'Connor's  aid,  "  but  the  house  is  packed  with 
women,  and  I  know  youse  ain't  proud." 

"  Who's  got  the  list,  Furgy  ?  "  asked  Larkin. 

"  O'Connor.  Him  and  Larry's  makin'  it  up  in  the 
kitchen." 

Jimmie  Larkin  took  off  his  hat  in  the  entry  and 
pushed  into  the  room  where  the  body  lay  exposed  to 
view.  Mary  sat  at  the  head  of  the  casket;  beside  her 
were  the  Kellys,  the  mother  with  her  handkerchief  to 
her  eyes,  the  father  talking  across  the  corpse  to  a 
friend,  the  son  half  asleep  in  his  chair.  Tall  candles 
shed  their  light  about  the  room ;  the  walls  were  draped 
in  dead  black ;  the  polished  lid  of  the  casket  stood  awe 
somely  in  a  corner;  the  flowers  sent  by  friends  and 
the  potted  plants  furnished  by  the  undertaker  smelt 
sickeningly  sweet  and  heavy  in  the  close,  crowded 
room. 

The  old  man  looked  very  peaceful ;  death  had  re 
moved  the  hard,  crabbed  lines  from  his  face,  and  the 
pale  hands,  twined  about  with  a  rosary,  and  holding  a 
small  crucifix,  seemed,  to  the  tenants,  very  different 


76  THE  RAGGED  EDGE 

from  the  grasping  old  claws  that  he  had  been  accus 
tomed  to  thrust  out  for  the  rent.  Some  of  the  people 
sat,  some  stood,  others  again  knelt,  hurrying  over  the 
set  prayers  for  the  dead. 

"  What  a  beautiful  corpse ! "  ejaculated  Ellen 
O'Hara,  in  a  loud  whisper. 

"  Loike  a  child  gone  till  slape,"  said  her  sister. 

"  He  have  fallen  away  a  good  bit,"  commented  Mrs. 
McGonagle. 

"  Yis,"  said  Mrs.  Clancy ;  "  but  not  so  much  as  I 
expected." 

"  He  vas  der  hardest  corbse  to  shafe  I  ever  dackled," 
Schwartz  informed  the  latter  lady's  husband. 

"  What  an  illigant  '  Gates  Ajar  ' !  "  exclaimed  Mrs. 
McGlory.  "  Is  that  the  piece  that  the  A.  O.  H.  sent, 
Mary?" 

"  It  takes  Kate  Sweeney  till  make  thim  look  day- 
sint  in  the  coffin,"  remarked  Mrs.  Nolan.  "  What 
splindid  flowers  she  have  put  under  his  head !  " 

"  Tell  me,  Mrs.  Clancy,"  whispered  Bridget  O'Hara ; 
"  who  will  walk  wid  Larry  ?  " 

"Why,  Mary,  av  corse." 

"  Divil  a  fear  av  her !  " 


THE  RAGGED  EDGE  77 

"  Is  she  settin'  her  cap  for  him,  I  dunno  ?  "  said 
Ellen. 

Mrs.  Clancy  turned  to  Mrs.  McGonagle.  "  D'yez 
harken  till  the  talk  av  thim  two  ?  "  asked  she. 

"  God  save  uz,"  answered  Mrs.  McGonagle, 
"  they'ed  talk  about  any  wan.  But,  whist ;  is  that  not 
Mrs.  Noonen's  black  skirt,  Casey's  wife  have  on?" 

"  Av  coorse.  She  borryed  it  yisterday ;  for  scure  till 
the  stitch  av  black  she  have  av  her  own." 

"  Is  the  Father  Matt'oo  comin'  ? "  inquired  Mrs. 
Nolan. 

"  Is  it  the  T.  A.  B.  yez  mean  ?  "  questioned  Mrs. 
Contractor  McGlory. 

"What  ilce?" 

"  Sure  Larry  wur  not  a  mimber." 

"  D'yez  tell  me  so !  An'  did  he  take  the  sup  av 
drink,  thin?  Begorry  I'd  niver  a-t 'ought  it." 

Mrs.  Nolan  blinked  at  the  corpse  with  renewed  in 
terest.  O'Connor  came  into  the  room  with  Larry  and 
handed  Mary  a  slip  of  paper. 

"  Iv  there's  any  other  names  ye  want  down,"  said 
he,  "  just  say  the  word." 

But  Mary  shook  her  head  and  returned  it.    Roddy 


78  THE  RAGGED  EDGE 

Ferguson  pushed  his  way  into  the  room  and  drew  his 
employer  aside. 

"  Callahan's  outside  with  the  hearse,"  said  he  in  a 
whisper,  "  and  if  we  want  to  catch  the  Solemn  High 
Mass  we'd  better  push  t'ings." 

The  undertaker  drew  himself  up  to  his  full  height 
and  looked  gravely  about  him ;  then  in  his  deepest  and 
most  professional  voice,  he  said : 

"  The  relatives  an'  friends  of  the  family  will  take  a 
last  farewell  look  at  the  departed  before  proceedin'  till 
the  church." 

Veils  were  dropped,  gloves  were  put  on,  and  a  sub 
dued  sobbing  and  whispering  began.  All  pushed  for 
ward  anxious  to  see  everything  at  this  critical  and  in 
teresting  moment.  Larry  was  moved  but  silent ;  Mary 
sobbed,  quietly;  Mrs.  Kelly's  grief  was  stormy;  but 
her  husband  and  son  regarded  the  body  stolidly,  then 
gave  way  to  those  behind.  In  a  few  moments  the 
casket  lid  was  screwed  down  and  the  six  young  men 
had  borne  it  through  the  door  to  the  waiting  hearse. 
Young  Ferguson  took  the  list  of  names  and  stationed 
himself  by  the  door. 


THE  RAGGED  EDGE  79 

"  Mr.  Lawrence  Murphy  and  Miss  Mary  Carroll," 
called  he. 

"Do  she  go  afore  me?"  demanded  Mrs.  Kelly. 
"  Mr.  O'Connor  is  a  black  stranger  till  walk  ahead  av 
a  sister  av  the  corpse?  " 

Kelly  sneered.  "  Sure  they  have  it  all  their  own 
way,  Honora,"  said  he. 

"  Mr.  James  Kelly  and  wife,"  called  Ferguson. 

"  Thanks  be !  "  cried  the  angry  lady.  "  I  wur  ex- 
pectin'  till  be  left  till  the  last !  "  and  out  she  went  on 
the  arm  of  her  husband,  to  treat  the  watching  crowd 
to  an  energetic  exhibition  of  sisterly  grief. 

"  Mr.  Martin  Kelly !  "  cried  Roddy.  He  hesitated 
a  moment,  then  added :  "  and  Miss  Bella  Nolan." 

Bella  came  forward,  smiling,  and  took  the  young 
man's  arm.  The  sisters  O'Hara  threw  looks  of  malice 
toward  Mrs.  McGlory ;  but  the  good  woman  disdained 
to  notice  them. 

"  Go  on,  Roddy !  "  directed  O'Connor.  "  Is  it  aslape 
ye  are  ?  " 

His  assistant  had  followed  Bella  and  her  partner 
with  moody  eyes,  and  now  stood  gazing  at  the 


8o  THE  RAGGED  EDGE 

empty  doorway.  But  he  roused  himself  at  O'Connor's 
voice  and  before  his  abstraction  was  noticed  by  any 
one  else  he  continued : 

"  James  Larkin,  and  Miss  Rosie  O'Hara." 

"  Divil  the  bit  will  she,"  broke  in  the  latter's  father. 
"  Rosie  walks  wid  me,  an'  not  wid  the  son  av  an' 
Orangeman !  " 

Rosie  grew  red,  and  the  tears  sprang  into  her  eyes ; 
Jimmie  hesitated,  uncertain  how  to  act,  but  at  a  glance 
from  Rosie,  he  drew  back  and  allowed  her  father  to 
lead  her  out. 

"  What  a  shame !  "  said  good-natured  Mrs.  Mc- 
Gonagle. 

"Will  nothin'  do  the  cub  but  Rosie?"  sneered 
Bridget. 

"  I  don't  like  his  trade,"  said  Mrs.  Clancy,  "  but 
he's  a  foine  young  felly." 

"  He's  his  father's  son,"  said  Ellen,  bitingly. 

The  list  of  names  was  gone  quickly  through;  those 
intending  to  walk  in  the  cortege  as  far  as  the  church 
fell  in,  and  all  moved  slowly  down  the  street,  O'Con 
nor  at  their  head. 

Larry  Murphy's  recollections  of  what  followed  were 


THE  RAGGED  EDGE  81 

but  dim ;  through  a  sort  of  haze  he  heard  the  chanting 
priests,  and  saw  the  swinging  censers,  and  his  mind  re 
tained  but  little  of  what  the  pastor  said  in  regard  to  the 
old  man's  life  and  acts.  He  had  been  but  a  child  when 
his  father  lay  at  the  same  altar  rail,  but  his  remem 
brance  of  that  was  vivid.  The  organ  was  silent  then ; 
the  church  was  deserted  save  for  a  few  friends,  and  a 
single  priest  performed  the  hurried  service.  It  came 
back  to  him  that  he  had  cried  bitterly ;  not  that  he  had 
much  idea  of  what  was  happening,  but  the  dull  light 
that  crept  in  through  the  stained  windows  seemed  to 
add  to  the  gloom  that  filled  the  church,  and  a  vague 
sense  of  loss  had  clutched  at  his  childish  heart.  He  did 
not  begrudge  the  pomp  that  marked  his  grandfather's 
burial  services,  but  he  thought  that  the  old  man  could 
have  spared  a  little  from  his  store,  that  his  dead  son 
might  have  gone  to  the  grave  in  a  fitting  manner,  and 
not  wait  until  death's  hand  was  upon  him  before  giv 
ing  a  sign. 

But  it  was  all  over  now ;  the  pall-bearers  had  drunk 
their  glasses  of  red  wine,  crumbled  their  pieces  of 
sweet  cake,  shaken  hands  with  Larry  and  departed. 
The  Kellys  had  remained  until  Johnnie  Kerrigan  had 


82  THE  RAGGED  EDGE 

informed  them  that  the  entire  property  had  gone  to 
Larry,  and  then  left  in  a  gust  of  anger. 

The  young  man  and  Mary  were  alone.  She  sat  by 
the  window,  crying  softly;  he  stood  with  his  back  to 
the  stove,  his  hands  clasped  behind  him,  staring  at  the 
bright  pattern  in  the  carpet. 

He  was  trying  to  think  of  something  to  say  that 
would  ease  her  grief;  but  all  that  came  to  his  mind 
seemed  vapid  and  without  much  meaning.  He  had 
been  thinking  of  her  a  great  deal  during  the  last  few 
days  and  it  hurt  him  to  see  her  cry.  He  had  never 
spoken  to  her  before  the  day  of  his  grandfather's 
death ;  but  he  Had  seen  her  often  on  the  street  and  at 
the  church — when  he  went  there — and  he  had  often 
marvelled  at  the  calm  purity  of  her  face.  He  had 
heard  much  of  her  in  different  ways ;  of  her  goodness 
of  heart,  of  her  gentle  ways,  of  her  deep  love  and 
veneration  for  the  faith  in  which  she  had  been  reared. 
He  had  lived  rough,  a  young  man  in  his  place  could 
hardly  help  it;  and  he  had  seen,  and  said,  and  done 
things  which  would  have  made  him  hang  his  head  had 
she  known ;  but,  for  all,  he  liked,  as  most  men  do,  rever- 


THE  RAGGED  EDGE  83 

ence  for  holy  things  in  a  woman.  It  was  Mary  that 
broke  the  silence. 

"  Mrs.  McGonagle  will  take  care  of  the  house  for 
you  until  you  have  time  to  get  settled,"  she  said.  And 
he  looked  at  her  blankly,  not  understanding.  "  I  will 
stay  with  a  friend  for  a  while,"  she  continued,  "  for  I 
haven't  had  time  to  think  of  anything  yet." 

"  You're  goin'  away,  then  ?  " 

"  To  be  sure !  "  wonderingly.  "  This  is  your  home 
now,  and  I  can't  stay  here,  you  know." 

"  That's  so,"  said  he.  He  hadn't  thought  of  it  be 
fore;  and  now  that  he  did  his  heart  sank  a  little  at 
her  helplessness.  She  fumbled  at  the  catch  of  her 
mourning  glove;  he  looked  at  her  for  a  long  time, 
thinking  of  another — of  the  tall,  splendid  girl  whom  he 
had  known  best  as  a  child  and  playmate.  But  she 
seemed  far  away  now ;  her  people  were  his  people  no 
longer.  Ah,  yes  that  was  it:  Education  had  done 
much  for  this  girl  of  whom  he  had  dreamed  since  boy 
hood  ;  but  association  had  done  more ;  and  she  seemed 
as  far  away  as  though  she  had  dwelt  upon  a  star.  He 
could  never  reach  her  plane ;  and  of  late  years  he  had 


84  THE  RAGGED  EDGE 

only  thought  of  her  as  one  thinks  of  the  dream-built 
hopes  of  youth.  At  last  he  said  to  Mary: 

"  This  house's  been  your  home  for  a  good  while, 
now ;  and  it'ed  look  like  drivin'  youse  away,  wouldn't 
it? — I  mean  if  ye  went." 

"  I  don't  know,"  answered  she  doubtfully. 

"  Anyway,  I  don't  want  ye  to  go,"  said  he,  with  sud 
den  courage.  "  Stay  here — and  marry  me !  " 

He  looked  into  the  pure,  candid  eyes  and  saw  sweep 
ing  into  them  a  quiet  happiness  that  caused  him  to 
stoop  and  kiss  her  cheek. 

"Uncle  Larry  spoke  of  that  just  before  he  died," 
she  said ;  "  and  if  you  are  sure  you  want  me,  I'll  stay." 


Chapter  X 


"  There's  an  organ  in  the  parlour, 
Just  to  give  the  house  a  tone, 

And  you're  welcome  every  evening, 
At  Maggie  Murphy's  home." 

HARRIGAN. 

71  T"OT  many  steps  from  St.  Michael's  is  the 
/  I/  Academy  of  the  Sacred  Heart,  where  the 
girls  of  the  parish  are  taught  by  the 
gentle-mannered  sisters;  and  not  far  from  that 
again,  was  the  home  of  Maggie  Dwyer.  Time 
was,  and  not  so  many  years  before,  when  Owen 
Dwyer  mixed  the  mortar  for  McMullen  the  builder 
and  lived  in  one  of  the  little  houses  in  McGarragles' 
Alley.  But  Owen  made  good  wages  and  was  a  sav 
ing  man  and  a  sober  one.  All  his  neighbours  knew 
that  he  had  an  account  in  the  savings  bank;  but  when 
he  sent  his  daughter  to  the  Normal  School  and  thereby 
showed  that  he  had  sufficient  to  educate  and  support 
her  it  excited  much  comment;  and  when  he  bought 

85 


86  THE  RAGGED  EDGE 

the  Second  Street  house,  and  Fitzmaurice,  the  real 
estate  man,  caused  it  to  be  known  that  four  thousand 
dollars  was  the  price  paid,  a  cry  of  wonder  went  up, 
and  the  old  country  tale  of  the  finding  of  "  a  crock  of 
gold,"  began  to  be  whispered  from  one  to  the  other. 

And,  although  he  shortly  afterward  gave  up  his  job 
with  McMullen,  Owen  was  still  the  same  quiet,  good- 
natured  man,  passing  the  collection  plate  in  the  church 
on  Sunday  morning  and  acting  as  president  of  the 
T.  A.  B.  society,  as  he  had  been  accustomed  to  do 
for  years. 

His  daughter  was  his  darling.  Splendid,  capable 
Maggie !  whose  fine  eyes  and  handsome  form  were  the 
talk  of  all  who  knew  her.  Owen  had  some  influence 
in  a  political  way,  and  after  her  graduation,  Maggie 
was  made  a  teacher  at  the  Harrison  School ;  her  strong 
young  voice  was  soon  heard  in  the  church  choir;  she 
sketched,  embroidered,  composed,  and  adorned  their 
pretty  home  with  pictures,  dainty  bric-a-brac  and  other 
things  that  a  refined  taste  delights  in,  until  Owen 
walked  about  the  rooms  in  awe,  and  admired  with  all 
his  soul. 

One  evening  about  a  week  after  the  funeral  at  Mur- 


THE  RAGGED  EDGE  87 

phy's,  Maggie,  in  a  close-fitting  gown  that  displayed 
the  splendid  lines  of  her  figure,  sat  at  her  piano  softly 
playing  over  some  music  which  she  was  to  use  at  a 
concert  of  the  teachers'  society;  Owen  read  the  even 
ing  paper  and  smoked  his  brier  pipe  by  the  shaded 
lamp. 

"  I'm  afeered,  Maggie,"  said  he,  in  a  troubled  tone, 
laying  down  the  paper,  "  that  these  goings  on  av  the 
Motor  Traction  Company '11  bring  sorra'  till  many  a 
body  yet." 

"What  is  it,  Daddy?"  asked  Maggie,  pausing  in 
her  playing. 

"  They  do  be  after  the  franchise  av  the  new  com 
pany,"  answered  Owen.  "  An'  the  politicians  are 
sidin'  wid  'em  in  their  rascality.  I  'have  put  more 
money  in  this  than  I  shud,"  added  he,  soberly,  "  an'  iv 
the  franchise  is  revoked  be  the  next  set  av  councilmen, 
it's  in  a  bad  way  we'll  be,  Maggie." 

She  leaned  over  and  kissed  him  on  the  cheek,  in  the 
motherly  fashion  that  Owen  loved. 

"  Don't  worry,  Daddy,  you'll  see  that  all  will  come 
right  in  the  end.  And  what  matter,  even  if  the  stocks 
you  own  are  made  worthless ;  we  still  have  our  home." 


88  THE  RAGGED  EDGE 

"  Bud  we  can't  ate  bricks  an'  mortar,  sure,"  com 
plained  he.  "  An'  I'm  too  owld  till  go  till  work,  now, 
Maggie." 

"  But  I  am  not,"  said  .Maggie,  with  a  laugh.  "  Why 
you  have  said  yourself,  Daddy,  that  I  earn  more  in  a 
month  than  you  ever  did  with  Mr.  McMullen." 

"  Is  it  have  me  sponge  on  yez  bit  av  wages  ye'd 
have  me  do  ?  "  exclaimed  the  old  man.  "  God  f or- 
gimme,  Maggie,  I  couldn't  do  that." 

The  door  bell  rang  at  this  moment. 

"  It's  Mr.  Mason,  I  suppose,"  said  Maggie.  "  He 
told  me  that  he  would  drop  in  during  the  evening,  and 
said  that  he  wanted  to  speak  to  you." 

But  it  was  Annie  Clancy,  the  grocer's  daughter, 
a  quiet,  pretty  girl,  and  a  great  favourite  of 
Maggie's. 

"  I  only  came  in  to  say  that  Mary  Carroll  is  coming 
around  to  see  you,"  announced  Annie.  "  She  said  that 
she  was  afraid  you'd  be  goin'  out,  so  she  asked  me  to 
run  around  and  tell  you  to  wait." 

"  An'  how  is  young  McGonagle,  Annie  ? "  asked 
Owen,  banteringly. 


THE  RAGGED  EDGE  89 

"  Now,  Daddy ! "  warned  Maggie,  with  uplifted 
finger. 

"  What  harm  ?  "  persisted  Owen,  who  delighted  to 
twit  the  girl  about  her  sweetheart.  "  Sure,  they  tell 
me,  Annie,  that  he  do  sarve  yez  father  wid  better  milk 
than  any  av  his  other  customers." 

Annie  tossed  her  head. 

"  He  don't,"  denied  she.  "  And  even  if  he  did,"  re 
gretfully,  "  Pop  wouldn't  like  him  any  better." 

"  An'  does  not  take  till  Goose  ?  "  inquired  Owen. 

"  You  know  he  don't.  And  it's  all  because  Goose  is 
in  debt  to  Mr.  O'Hara.  Pop  says  he'll  never  be  able 
to  keep  a  wife ;  and  that  he'll  be  sold  out." 

Owen  saw  the  tears  in  the  girl's  eyes,  and  said 
gently. 

"  Don't  mind,  Annie.  You'll  have  him,  never  fear. 
Goose  is  a  good  b'y  till  his  mother  an'  that  kind  do 
have  luck." 

"  I'll  have  to  go  now,  Maggie,"  said  the  grocer's 
daughter.  "  Pop's  going  to  the  Clan-na-Gale  meeting 
to-night  and  I  have  to  tend  store." 

Annie  had  hardly  left  when  Mason  came,  and  he 


90  THE  RAGGED  EDGE 

had  barely  been  welcomed  when  Mary  Carroll  fol 
lowed.  The  two  men  were  left  in  the  parlour  to  discuss 
the  matter  of  Mason's  visit,  while  the  girls  withdrew 
to  the  sitting  room  upstairs. 

"  I  could  not  delay  telling  you  any  longer,  Maggie 
dear,"  said  Mary.  "  It  came  so  sudden  after  poor 
Uncle  Larry's  death  that  we  have  been  keeping  it  a 
secret." 

"  A  secret?  "  exclaimed  Maggie.    "  Tell  me,  quick." 
"  Larry  Murphy  has  asked  me  to  be  his  wife." 
A  quick    change    came    over    Maggie's  face;    she 
paled,  then  flushed,  and  faltered  when  she  tried  to 
speak. 

"  Why,  Maggie,"  said  Mary,  anxiously.  "  What's 
the  matter?" 

But  Maggie  had  recovered  quickly  and  replied : 
"  I  am  only  glad,  Mary — glad  for  your  sake ;  you 
will  be  very  happy ;  for  Larry  has  a  good  heart." 

"  It  came  so  strangely,  too,"  said  Mary,  a  happy 
light  in  her  quiet  eyes.  "  We  barely  knew  each  other, 
I  mean  in  the  conventional  sense,  but  I  must  have 
loved  him  and  he  must  have  loved  me  for  ever  so 
long  without  either  of  us  knowing  it.  And,  oh,  he 


THE  RAGGED  EDGE  91 

thinks  so  much  of  you,  Maggie ;  why,  you  and  he  were 
boy  and  girl  together,  and  yet  I  don't  remember  ever 
hearing  you  speak  of  him." 

"  We  have  not  seen  much  of  each  other  for  a  long 
time,"  said  Maggie  quietly. 

When  they  finally  came  down  into  the  parlour,  Mason 
was  ready  to  take  his  leave;  he  had  his  hat  and  stick 
in  his  hand  and  was  exchanging  some  last  words  with 
Owen. 

"  Every  man,"  he  was  saying,  "  who  has  the  good 
of  the  city  at  heart,  and  who  has  the  slightest  sense 
of  justice,  will  do  everything  in  his  power  to  prevent 
this  proposed  steal.  I  have  made  up  my  mind  that  the 
only  way  to  prevent  its  consummation  is  to  canvass 
persons  who  have  influence  in  their  own  neighbour 
hood,  acquaint  them  with  the  facts  and  endeavour  to 
organize  an  opposition  at  the  primaries." 

"  There  yez  have  it,"  said  Owen,  approvingly. 
"  The  primaries  is  the  place  till  make  the  fight ;  lave 
thim  wanst  git  control  av  the  convintions  in  the  differ 
ent  wards,  an'  they'll  put  their  own  bla'gards  on  the 
regular  ticket  an'  thin  the  divil  himself  couldn't  bate 
thim." 


92  THE  RAGGED  EDGE 

"  And  this  young  man  whom  you  advised  me  to  see ; 
where  can  he  be  found  ?  " 

"  Oh,  Larry  Murphy  ?  Yis,  yez  could  do  worse  thin 
have  Larry  wid  yez.  Sure,  he's  so  solid  in  his  own 
division  that  McQuirk  himself  has  till  take  second 
place,  there. 

"  Mary,"  and  Owen  turned  to  the  girl,  "  Is  Larry 
at  home  ?  " 

"  Yes,"  answered  Mary. 

"  If  you  want  to  find  Mr.  Murphy,"  laughed  Mag 
gie,  "  we  will  provide  a  way  for  you.  Mr.  Mason,  this 
is  Miss  Carroll."  The  introduction  being  acknowl 
edged,  Maggie  continued :  "  You  can  be  of  mutual 
service  to  each  other,  Mr.  Mason — you  as  escort,  and 
Miss  Carroll  as  guide." 

But,  after  their  visitor  had  gone,  and  Maggie  had 
sought  her  own  room,  the  laugh  vanished  and  she 
threw  herself  upon  the  bed  and  burst  into  a  storm  of 
tears. 

Her  thoughts  went  back  to  the  time  of  her  child 
hood,  to  the  little  home  in  McGarragles'  Alley.  She 
once  more  saw  the  dark-eyed  boy  who  had  been  her 
very  slave,  who  was  always  ready  to  fight  for  her,  and 


THE  RAGGED  EDGE  93 

who  was  happiest  when  by  her  side.  But  as  they 
grew  up  the  years  had  separated  them ;  she  lived  in  her 
present  home,  went  to  the  Normal  School  and  found 
new  friends  very  different  from  the  old,  though  her 
heart  was  still  true  to  them.  And  Larry  only  saw  the 
change  from  the  outside.  When  she  came  tripping 
along  on  Sunday  morning,  prayer  book  in  hand,  on  her 
way  to  church,  he,  standing  on  the  corner  in  front  of 
Regan's  cigar  store,  rigged  out  in  a  cream-coloured 
overcoat  with  pearl  buttons,  saluted  her  with  a  nod 
of  assumed  indifference  and  she  would  return  it  in 
kind  and  continue  on  her  way,  wondering :  "  What 
in  the  world  Larry  Murphy  saw  in  standing  on 
Regan's  corner  all  day  of  a  Sunday." 

An  incident  had  occurred  later  that  should  have 
ended  this  misunderstanding;  and  it  would  have  done 
so  had  not  the  sense  of  distance  between  them  been 
magnified,  in  Larry's  mind,  by  the  very  nature  of  the 
happening. 

Shannon,  the  teamster  by  whom  he  was  employed, 
had  one  day  called  Larry  into  the  little  office  down  by 
the  river. 

"  Larry,"  said  he,  "  I'm  after  havin'  great  call  from 


94  THE  RAGGED  EDGE 

the  mills  above  in  Kensington,  as  ye  know.  Sure  the 
bell  av  me  telyphone's  jingling  all  the  God's  blessed 
day,  an'  I  have  the  divil's  own  job  gittin'  me  teams  up 
there  in  time.  Yesterday  I  bought  six  pair  av  the 
foinest  jacks  yez  iver  laid  eyes  on,  an'  five  trucks  as 
good  as  new;  I  have  rinted  the  back  room  av  Kavan- 
augh's  on  the  Frankford  road  as  an  uptown  branch; 
an'  it's  yezsilf  I  want  till  take  charge  av  it.  The  work 
will  be  asey  an'  genteel  an'  I'll  pay  yez  twinty  dollars 
a  week." 

After  a  moment's  sober  thought  Larry  had  replied : 

"  The  job's  a  cinch,  an'  the  money's  good ;  but,  say, 
Pat,  how  do  youse  t'ink  I'll  size  up  to  the  work?  I 
can't  write  a'tall  an'  on'y  kin  read  a  little." 

"  Now  God  forgi'mme  for  an  ijit ! "  exclaimed 
Shannon.  "  Sure  an  I  niver  wanst  thought  av  that. 
That  puts  an  end  till  it,  Larry ;  the  work  is  beyant  yez, 
b'y." 

Larry  understood  this  and  felt  it  keenly.  He  en 
deavoured  to  convey  an  impression  of  carelessness; 
but  Shannon  was  not  deceived. 

"  Common  since'll  tell  yez,  Larry,"  said  he,  kindly, 
"  that  the  man  that  takes  howld  av  me  up-town  branch 


THE  RAGGED  EDGE  95 

must  have  a  bit  av  larnin'.  Give  up  runnin'  wid  the 
gang,  lad,  an'  go  till  the  night  school." 

Larry  paid  very  little  attention  to  what  the  boss  was 
saying;  he  was  wrestling  with  the  bitterness  within 
him.  But  that  night,  as  he  was  crossing  the  railroad 
on  his  way  to  the  club,  he  noticed  that  a  broad  shaft 
of  light  flowed  from  each  window  of  the  old  Harrison 
School,  and  then  Shannon's  words  came  back  to  him. 
A  group  of  boys  were  skylarking  in  the  entry  where 
a  single  gas  light  flared  redly  in  the  gloom. 

"  Night  school  ?  "  inquired  he  of  one  of  these. 

"  Sure,"  answered  the  boy.    "  Started  last  week." 

His  mind  was  made  up  in  an  instant,  and  he  started 
up  the  stairs  toward  the  principal's  room.  But  with 
his  hand  upon  the  door  knob,  he  paused.  What  would 
the  gang  say  when  they  heard?  He  pictured  himself 
standing  in  the  midst  of  them,  an  object  of  derision; 
he  saw  two  of  them  meet  upon  the  street  and  heard 
the  laugh  that  greeted  the  words,  "  Larry  Murphy's 
goin'  to  school,  like  a  kid."  But  he  drove  these  vi 
sions  from  him,  muttering: 

"  If  they  kid  me,  there'll  be  somethin'  broke,  that's 
all!" 


96  THE  RAGGED  EDGE 

He  half  expected  the  principal  to  laugh  when  he 
stated  his  business;  but,  on  the  contrary,  that  gentle 
man  seemed  to  regard  the  matter  approvingly;  this 
made  Larry  feel  better,  and  he  entered  the  school 
room  indicated  with  scarcely  a  tremor.  A  number  of 
young  men  of  his  own  age  sat  at  the  little  desks,  hand 
ling  the  spelling  books  with  pathetic  care.  There 
were  two  teachers  in  the  room,  flitting  helpfully  from 
desk  to  desk ;  no  one  noticed  Larry  and  he  slid  into  a 
vacant  seat,  and  awaited  developments. 

One  of  the  teachers  was  working  from  pupil  to  pupil 
up  the  aisle  toward  him.  His  back  was  turned  to  her, 
but  he  knew,  from  the  sound  of  her  voice,  that  she 
was  young.  In  a  few  moments  she  was,  as  Larry 
afterward  expressed  it,  "  givin'  points  to  the  guy  right 
back  o'  me." 

It  was  not  until  then  that  he  recognized  the  voice; 
and  a  panic  immediately  possessed  him. 

"  Gee !  "  he  mentally  exclaimed,  "  what  did  I  drift 
into  this  joint  for,  anyhow;  I  might  a-knowed  she'd 
be  here."  He  looked  longingly  toward  the  door.  "  If 
I  t'ought  nobody  was  next,  I'd  take  a  chance,  and  fly 
the  coop !  " 


THE  RAGGED  EDGE  97 

But  he  delayed  until  too  late;  in  another  moment 
Maggie  had  sat  down  beside  him,  inquiring : 

"Plow  are  you  getting  on  with — ?"  then  in  great 
astonishment.  "  Why,  Larry  Murphy !  " 

He  began  to  stammer  a  confused  explanation;  but 
she  knew  of  his  shortcomings  and  realized  the  situa 
tion  like  a  flash. 

"  I  didn't  t'ink  I'd  see  youse  here,"  he  finished 
awkwardly. 

Maggie  knew  this;  she  also  knew  that  if  he  had 
dreamed  of  her  presence  wild  horses  could  not  have 
dragged  him  there.  Her  tact  soon  put  him  more  at 
his  ease,  and,  finally  her  manner  of  putting  things, 
awoke  an  interest  in  the  lessons  that  almost  made  him 
forget  his  situation. 

When  the  class  was  dismissed  she  had  called  him 
aside. 

"You  will  return  to-morrow  night?"  she  asked. 

"  Yes,"  he  answered  hesitatingly ;  "  I  guess  so." 

"  Will  you  promise  ?  " 

"  Yes ;  I  promise." 

He  kept  his  word,  finished  the  term  and  mastered  the 
studies  in  hand.  But  after  that  it  was  the  same  as  be- 


98  THE  RAGGED  EDGE 

fore;  she  could  only  feel  sorry  for  him,  he  thought; 
and  when  he  chanced  to  meet  her  on  the  street  his 
manner  was  formal,  and  for  her  pride's  sake  her  own 
could  not  be  otherwise. 

And  this,  perhaps,  is  why  Maggie  wept  so  bitterly. 


Chapter  XI 


"Reform:    A  t'ing  what  the  wise  guys  gits  busy 
at  —  when  the  other  push  is  holdin'  the  jobs." 

CHIP  NOLAN'S  DEFINITION. 


X"\LD  Mrs.  Coogan,  who  was  distantly  related  to 
|  M  Mary,  opened  the  door  for  her  and  Mason. 
Mrs.  Coogan  had  been  there  since  the  old 
man's  death,  as  a  sort  of  chaperon  and  house 
keeper,  and  vastly  pleased  was  she  with  the  arrange 
ment.  Larry  in  his  shirt  sleeves  came  out  of  the  sitting 
room  as  they  entered: 

"  Hello,  back  so  soon  !  "  exclaimed  he.  Then,  see 
ing  Mason,  he  added  surprisedly  :  "  Mr.  Mason,  how 
are  youse  ?  " 

"  Mr.  Dwyer  advised  me  to  come  to  see  you,"  said 
Mason,  shaking  hands  ;  "  but  I  had  not  the  slightest 
notion  that  I  should  meet  an  old  acquaintance." 

Mary  left  them  to  themselves  ;  and  Mason  plunged 
at  once  into  the  matter  in  hand.  He  explained  in  detail 

99 


ioo  THE  RAGGED  EDGE 

the  nature  of  the  scheme  on  foot  and  then  continued : 
"  Now  the  local  reform  organization  has  resolved  to 
fight  this  thing,  and  wants  to  enlist  as  many  men  ac 
quainted  with  practical  politics  as  possible." 

"  Sure,"  said  Larry.  "  That's  the  first  crack  out  o' 
the  box  every  time  youse  hear  from  'em.  Say,  I'll  give 
it  to  youse  straight:  reform's  all  to  the  good,  but  the 
reformers  give  me  a  pain." 

Mason  grew  a  little  red,  and  looked  nettled. 

"  Don't  take  that  to  yerself,"  said  Larry,  noticing 
this ;  "  I  ain't  a-backheelin'  you  or  any  other  man ; 
it's  the  reformers  as  a  bunch  that  I'm  hittin'.  When 
they  hear  of  a  crooked  job  they  start  to  kick  up  the 
dust,  hold  meetin's  at  the  Academy  of  Music  and  do 
other  red-hot  stunts;  then  the  first  t'ing  youse  know 
they're  backin'  up  the  worst  kind  of  a  gang  of  tin  horn 
pipes  who  are  on'y  fightin'  the  administration  because 
they  ain't  in  on  the  rake  off.  If  they  win  out,  the  pipes 
git  the  plums  and  work  ranker  jobs  than  the  other 
bunch  ever  thought  of,  and  then  the  reformers  flop 
over  into  the  other  camp  and  trot  the  race  all  over 
again.  Ain't  I  right?" 

"  There  is  some  truth  in  this,"  said  Mason,  "  but 


THE  RAGGED  EDGE  101 

then  fusion  is  our  only  hope ;  we  have  not  the  strength 
to  name  and  elect  a  man  of  our  own." 

"As  long  as  youse  t'ink  that  ye'll  be  easy  game. 
Say,  the  people  who  wants  the  cards  dealt  square  in 
the  city's  got  the  bulge,  but  they're  dead  leary  on 
gettin'  their  hands  dirty;  a  man  with  aces  in  his 
fist  is  beat  if  he  don't  use  'em  at  the  show  down." 

"  I  take  it  that  you  would  support  a  reform  dele 
gation  providing  you  were  satisfied  it  was  controlled 
by  reformers." 

"  Not  on  yer  life !  Le'me  tell  youse  somethin'.  Some 
o'  the  fiercest  guys  what  ever  broke  into  politics, 
started  their  turn  as  reformers,  and  I  don't  take  no 
chances  on  havin*  a  confidence  game  worked  on  me, 
see?  The  man  what  goes  to  the  convention  from  this 
division  stands  to  do  a  certain  t'ing;  he's  sent  there 
to  do  it  by  the  voters  and  he  does  it.  Nobody  out- 
side's  got  anyt'ing  to  say." 

"That's  as  it  should  be,"  said  Mason.  "But  in 
how  many  divisions  or  wards  is  that  the  case?  The 
ring  controls  the  primaries  in  nine  out  of  ten  of  them ; 
the  voice  of  the  man  with  the  ballot  is  seldom  or  never 
heard.  Slavery  was  a  liberal  institution  compared  with 


102  THE  RAGGED  EDGE 

the  electoral  serfdom  that  exists  in  some  of  our  muni 
cipalities." 

Mason's  warmth  led  him  into  exaggeration;  but 
Larry  had  views  upon  this  particular  subject  himself 
and  proceeded  to  unburden  himself. 

"  Youse're  dead  right !  "  declared  he.  "  I  was  talkin' 
to  the  old  coon  what  peddles  calamus  root  to  the 
avenoo,  the  other  day,  an'  he  said  that  he  wished  he 
was  a  slave  again,  pickin'  cotton  an'  dancin'  the  buck. 
He  says  that  he  got  a  skin  full  o'  corn  pone  then,  but 
that  it  keeps  him  scratchin'  with  both  hands  these  days 
to  git  next  to  anything  with  more  stick  in  it  than 
water.  Say,  the  Uncle  Tom  racket  wasn't  a  bad  graft 
when  ye  look  at  it  right,  and  maybe  it'ed  been  a 
good  t'ing  for  the  wool  growers  if  Uncle  Abe  had 
changed  his  mind." 

Mason  smiled  at  Larry's  literal  interpretation  of  his 
words  and  made  a  vague  remark  regarding  the  bless 
ings  of  liberty.  But  the  other  received  it  with  con 
tempt. 

"  That's  got  moss  on  it,"  said  he.  "  Liberty's  all 
right,  but  it  don't  put  beef  and  beans  into  a  man. 
There  ain't  a  mug  in  this  ward  that  ain't  got  it  to 


THE  RAGGED  EDGE  103 

lose;  but  they  don't  lay  in  bed  in  the  mornin'  thinkin' 
about  it,  either,  when  the  whistles  are  a  blowin' ;  they 
have  to  climb  down  the  street,  eatin'  their  breakfast 
out  o'  one  hand  and  buttonin'  their  overalls  with  the 
other." 

"  But  the  slave,"  protested  Mason,  "  before  the 
Civil  War  also  had  to  work." 

"  Sure !  "  exclaimed  Murphy.  "  I  didn't  t'ink  that 
the  main  squeeze  took  off  his  coat  and  drove  mules, 
while  they  sat  on  the  porch  an'  spit  at  their  boots.  A 
young  Willie,  what  had  the  Sunday-school  class  what 
I  went  to  onct,  told  us  that  the  slave  owner'd  open 
up  a  hand  with  a  black  snake  whip,  if  he  looked  cross 
eyed,  and  that  it  was  the  reg'lar  t'ing  to  hang  the  cook 
up  by  the  t'umbs  if  she  broke  a  plate.  But,  say,  that 
sassy  t'ing  was  a-stringm'  me  cold;  because  when  a 
guy  put  up  a  thousand  plunks  for  a  bogie  he  wasn't 
goin'  to  lam  the  life  out  o'  him  like  they  do  in  the 
show.  I  don't  say  that  he  was  stuck  on  him,  mind 
youse,  but  I  do  say  that  the  price  worried  him  some, 
and  that  the  worsted  motto  what  his  wife  worked,  and 
hung  up  in  the  parlor  read :  '  T'ink  twice  before  youse 
slug  a  nigger  onst.' 


104  THE  RAGGED  EDGE 

"  The  gang  down  in  Washin'ton,"  proceeded  Larry, 
"  riffled  the  deck  in  '62  an'  made  a  new  deal ;  the  coons 
looked  at  their  hands  and  t'ought  they  had  the  pot 
cinched ;  they  stood  pat  on  the  Fourteenth  Amendment 
and  waited  for  the  guys  with  the  dough  to  buck  up. 
But  they're  waitin'  yet.  They  never  git  their  eyes 
on  any  o'  the  blessin's  o'  liberty  cept  at  'lection  time 
— and  then  they  must  deliver  the  goods.  Liberty  ain't 
a  bad  game;  but  youse  want  to  size  up  the  dealer 
from  start  to  finish,  so's  he  don't  stack  the  cards. 
There's  lots  o'  people  in  the  liberty  line  what  used 
to  carry  a  lead  pipe  in  their  pockets,  but  made  the 
change  because  the  gilt  grew  thicker  and  there  wasn't 
so  much  chance  for  doin'  time." 

"  Some  one,  long  ago,"  remarked  Mason,  "  said 
something  about  the  '  crimes  committed  in  the  name  of 
liberty,'  and,  unfortunately,  it  holds  good  to-day." 

"  That's  no  pipe  dream !  Now  look  here ;  there's 
lots  o'  guys  right  in  this  division,  what's  swingin'  a 
pick  for  a  dollar  an'  a  half  a  day,  an'  hangin'  up 
their  hats  in  a  third  story  back  where  they  have  to 
stand  on  the  stove  and  hold  the  kid  while  their  wives 
make  the  bed.  If  a  slave  got  sick  his  owner  hustled 


THE  RAGGED  EDGE  105 

in  a  doctor,  for  if  the  coon  went  up  the  flue  it  was 
good  money  goin'  to  the  bad.  But  if  the  pick  swinger 
gits  down  on  his  back,  the  main  guy  cashes  his  time 
ticket,  hires  a  Polack,  an'  don't  care  a  picayune  if 
his  friends  are  invited  to  meet  at  two  an'  go  at  t'ree, 
an'  he  has  a  plain  black  box  and  an  undertaker's 
wagon,  with  a  drunken  carriage  washer  to  drive  it." 

"  But  all  employers  are  not  so  unfeeling ;  some  are 
heard  of,  now  and  then,  who  help  their  people  out  of 
the  hard  places." 

"  That  might  be  right,"  agreed  Larry ;  "  but  I  never 
piked  off  one  that  was  out  o'  breath  through  handin' 
out  money.  His  daughter  belongs  to  a  flower  mission, 
maybe,  and  if  she  t'ought  of  it  she  might  send  the 
sick  man  a  bunch  of  hyacinths  done  up  in  a  waxed 
paper;  but  she'd  stop  the  kids  from  cryin'  quicker  if 
she  trotted  out  a  beef  stew  done  up  in  a  tin  kettle, 
an'  that's  no  joke.  Say,  as  Chip  Nolan'ed  say:  It's 
no  wonder  the  coons  are  all  whistlin'  '  Lemme  take 
me  clothes  back  home.'  " 

Mason  managed  to  head  him  off  at  this  point  and 
began  an  earnest  plea  for  his  support ;  but  Larry  would 
not  bind  himself  to  the  support  of  any  one  at  that  time. 


io6  THE  RAGGED  EDGE 

"  I'm  leary  on  makin'  promises,"  said  the  latter,  as 
Mason,  at  length,  arose  to  depart ;  "  t'ings'll  be  dead 
ripe  by  the  night  o'  the  primaries ;  so  after  that  I  kin 
talk  to  youse." 

The  bell  had  rung  a  few  moments  before,  without 
their  noticing  it;  and  now  Mrs.  Coogan  opened  the 
sitting  room  door,  saying :  "  Sure,  here  is  Mr.  Mc- 
Quirk,  as  large  as  life." 

"  Murphy,"  said  the  visitor,  as  he  stepped  into  the 
room,  "  I  hope  I  didn't  interrupt  ye  ?  I  can  wait  if 
you're  busy." 

It  was  Tom  McQuirk,  the  boss  of  the  ward,  a  big- 
bodied,  pleasant-faced  man,  well  dressed  and  of  as 
sured  manner. 

"  Hello,"  said  Larry,  "  glad  to  see  ye,  Tom.  Sit 
down." 

McQuirk  glanced  toward  Mason  and  a  smile  of 
recognition  crossed  his  face. 

"  Mr.  Mason,  how  d'ye  do !  "  exclaimed  he,  reach 
ing  out  his  hand. 

Mason  shook  hands  with  him  without  enthusiasm. 
He  had  sat  too  long  at  the  feet  of  the  sages  of  the 
Civic  Club  not  to  believe  that  this  man  and  his  kind 


THE  RAGGED  EDGE  107 

were  the  very  bacillus  of  corruption.  He  had  met 
him  a  year  or  two  before  at  a  conference  held  with 
a  view  to  allying  the  Democrats  and  the  reformers  in 
favour  of  an  independent  candidate  for  city  treasurer. 
But  McQuirk  had  been  against  the  fusion — and  it 
had  failed. 

And  Mason,  after  he  had  taken  his  departure  and 
walked  homeward,  admitted  to  himself,  with  some 
bitterness,  that  McQuirk's  voice,  in  this  ward  at  least, 
would  very  likely  be  the  deciding  one  in  the  matter 
in  hand. 


Chapter  XII 


"  Oh!  The  room  was  decorated, 
With  the  Hags  of  every  land, 
The  gents  were  elevated, 
Malone  he  couldn't  stand,- 
Canaries  in  their  cages, 
With  flowers  in  a  tub, 
Stood  on  the  piano, 
At  Casey's  Social  Club." 

POPULAR  SONG. 

r\  ELLA  NOLAN  looked  through  the  half  glass 
i  j        door  of  Riley's  Oyster    Cafe    and    tapped 
softly  upon  the  pane.     Goose   McGonagle 
stood  before  Riley's  bar,  fork  in  hand,   while  Riley, 
with    amazing    dexterity,    wrenched     open     oysters 
and  placed  them  before  him  on  the  shell.    At  the  sound 
of  the  tapping,  McGonagle  looked  up  and  Bella  beck 
oned  him. 

"  A  mash  ?  "  smiled  Riley. 

"  Ye've  got  another  guess,"  answered  Goose.     He 
laid  down  his  fork  and  stepped  out  upon  the  sidewalk. 

108 


THE  RAGGED  EDGE  109 

"  Goose,"  asked  the  girl,  "  have  you  seen  Mart 
Kelly  to-night?" 

"  No;  ain't  he  up  in  the  club?  " 

"  I  don't  know.    Will  you  go  up  and  see,  please?  " 

"  All  right,"  consented  McGonagle.  He  opened  the 
door,  "  Say  Riley,"  said  he,  "  just  open  the  rest  and 
have  'em  on  the  bar.  I'll  be  back  in  a  second." 

"  Don't  let  on  to  nobody,"  cautioned  Bella.  *'  Be 
cause  I  wouldn't  be  talked  about  for  the  world." 

The  rooms  of  the  Aurora  Borealis  Club  were  over 
Riley's  place  of  business;  the  entrance  was  by  a  side 
door  and  a  flight  of  steps  led  directly  into  the  parlour. 
The  members  were  present  in  force,  dressed  in  their 
best  and,  as  it  was  Saturday  night,  chinking  their 
money  in  their  trousers'  pockets. 

Larry  Murphy  and  Roddy  Ferguson  in  their  shirt 
sleeves,  were  engaged  in  a  game  of  pool,  discussing, 
between  shots,  the  merits  of  the  various  candidates  for 
nomination  at  the  coming  ward  convention.  Mr.  Mc- 
Carty  sat  at  the  piano  endeavouring  to  pick  out  a  rag 
time  melody  which  he  had  heard  at  some  "  free  and 
easy  " ;  and  Johnnie  Kerrigan  was  critically  examin 
ing  a  portrait  of  McOuirk,  the  boss  of  the  ward,  a  work 


no  THE  RAGGED  EDGE 

of  art  which  the  boss  had  lately  presented  to  the  club. 
Other  and  less  distinguished  members  lounged  about 
the  room,  indulging  in  gossip  of  a  sporting  character 
and  strong  cigars. 

"  I  tell  ye,"  said  Ferguson,  slipping  a  ball  into  the 
rack,  "  O'Connor's  got  the  t'ing  cinched  if  he  gets  the 
delegates.  He'll  win  in  a  walk !  " 

Murphy  chalked  the  tip  of  his  cue  and  looked  doubt 
ful.  "  Gartenheim's  dead  agin  him,"  said  he,  "  an' 
Gartenheim  kin  scare  up  some  votes,  youse  know  that. 
McQuirk's  pullin'  with  Kelly  this  'hitch,  and  he'll  wheel 
the  machine  in  line.  I  don't  t'ink  O'Connor  '11  do;  if 
we  want  to  have  a  say  we  must  ring  in  a  man  what 
kin  hold  the  push  together,  see  ?  " 

"  Dum-had,  dah ;  doodle-day !  "  hummed  McCarty, 
banging  away  at  the  keyboard.  "  How's  that,  Kerri- 
gari?" 

"  Nothing  like  it,"  answered  Johnnie,  "  you're 
getting  worse  every  minute. 

Tom  Hogan,  son  of  the  policeman,  came  from  an 
adjoining  room. 

"  They're  makin'  up  a  game,"  said  he.  "  Any  o* 
youse  gents  want  t'  sit  in  ?  " 


THE  RAGGED  EDGE  in 

Murphy  paused  with  his  cue  poised.  "'Not  me," 
remarked  he.  "  Last  Saturday  night  was  my  finish ;  I 
don't  play  no  more  poker  with  people  what  deals  from 
the  bottom  o'  the  deck." 

McCarty  stopped  his  piano  practice  and  whirled 
about  on  the  stool.  "  This  joint's  gittin'  to  be  a  reg'lar 
hang-out  for  sharks,"  complained  he.  "  We  hold  a 
meetin'  to-night,  and  if  Kelly  don't  git  the  razoo  why 
I  git  out  o'  the  club,  that's  all." 

Young  Kelly,  unnoticed,  had  followed  Hogan  into 
the  room. 

"  What's  that !  "  demanded  he.  "  Speak  yer  piece, 
McCarty,  don't  talk  behind  me  back." 

"  Don't  worry ;  I'll  talk  in  front  o'  yer  face  when 
the  time  comes." 

Martin  struck  the  cushion  of  the  pool  table  with  his 
fist.  "  I  want  to  hear  it  right  now ;  what  are  youse 
goin'  to  put  me  before  the  meetin'  for?" 

"  Ah,  yer  crooked,"  said  McCarty. 

"  Me  crooked !    I  can  lick  the  guy  that  says  it." 

Murphy  leaned  his  cue  against  the  wall.  "  Ye  done 
me  out  o'  a  five  spot  by  stackin'  the  papers,"  said  he. 

Kelly  hesitated.    Larry  was  one  of  the  quietest  men 


ii2  THE  RAGGED  EDGE 

in  the  district;  but  then  he  was  also  the  man  that 
the  club  had  entered  in  the  tournament  for  amateurs 
a  few  years  before  and  he  had  carried  off  the  light 
weight  cup  by  beating  three  men  in  the  finals. 

"  I  ain't  scrappin'  with  no  professionals,"  growled 
Martin  at  length. 

"  I  ain't  no  professional,"  insinuated  McCarty. 

"  Let  it  drop,  gents !  "  advised  Jerry  McGlory  who 
had  just  come  in.  McGlory  was  the  club's  president 
and  he  felt  that  in  his  office  it  behoved  him  to  act  the 
part  of  a  peacemaker.  He  took  the  wrathful  Kelly 
aside  and  was  trying  to  soothe  him  when  McGonagle 
entered  upon  his  errand. 

"  Somebody  wants  ye  outside,  Kelly,"  announced 
Goose. 

"  Go  ahead  out  an'  see  'em,"  begged  McGlory,  de 
lighted.  "  Ye'll  feel  better  after  ye  come  back." 

Muttering  under  his  breath,  Kelly  followed  Mc 
Gonagle  down  the  steps,  and  after  he  had  gone  Mc 
Glory  observed: 

"  That  lobster's  too  gay !  He's  got  a  notion  he 
runs  this  outfit." 

"  Well,  he's  got  another  t'ink,"  said  Murphy.  "  Say, 


THE  RAGGED  EDGE  113 

us  people  made  a  foxy  play  when  we  turned  down  the 
fifty  dollars  his  old  man  wanted  to  chip  in  toward 
gittin'  the  pool  table." 

"  Lection's  comin',"  remarked  Ferguson.  "  He 
t'ought  he'd  cop  our  support  be  that  move." 

"  He  don't  git  no  support  o'  mine,"  Murphy  in 
formed  them.  "  I  ain't  for  no  gent  that  pulls  on  both 
ends  o'  the  string.  Le'me  tell  youse  this,"  rapping 
with  his  knuckles  upon  the  piano  top ;  "  if  Kelly  scoops 
the  nomination  we're  a  push  o'  dead  ones." 

"  He's  puttin'  his  net  out  though,"  affirmed  Roddy 
Ferguson.  "  O'Connor  told  me  that  he's  got  the  ward 
committee  fixed,  an'  that  the  heelers  '11  pull  for  him 
at  the  primaries." 

"  He's  got  all  the  bums  in  the  ward  on  his  staff," 
said  McGlory.  "  He  gits  'em  out  o'  jail  when  they're 
pinched,  an'  he's  loadin'  rum  into  them  all  day,  over 
his  bar." 

"  The  Mozart  Sangerbund  give  him  an  invitation  to 
their  last  meetin',"  put  in  McCarty,  "  and  he  wanted 
Kerrigan  to  write  him  a  speech.  He's  makin'  a  play 
for  the  German  vote." 

"  I  heard  in  City  Hall,  yesterday,"  said  Kerrigan, 


H4  THE  RAGGED  EDGE 

"that  the  Mayor  offered  him  the  indorsement  of  the 
other  side  again,  if  he  could  split  our  ticket.  Mc- 
Quirk  was  at  the  pow-wow  and  somebody  slipped  him 
a  bunch  of  money.  But  say !  if  that's  right  he'll  have 
a  warm  time  delivering  the  goods." 

"  When  is  the  delegate  election,  Murphy  ?  "  inquired 
McGlory. 

"  About  a  month  after  our  ball/'  answered  Larry. 

"  Talkin'  about  the  ball,"  remarked  McCarty :  "  we 
won't  have  Larkin  to  lead  the  march  for  us  this  time, 
eh?" 

"  There's  a  guy  what  knows  the  figures,"  com 
mented  McGlory.  "How's  he  doin'  now?" 

"  He's  doin'  'em  all ;  an'  right  off  the  reel  too,"  said 
Murphy,  who  was  a  pupil  of  Jimmie's  in  the  manly 
art,  and  had  watched  his  progress,  through  the  news 
papers,  with  interest.  "  He's  done  stunts  wit'  the  best 
o'  them,  since  he  left  town,  and  they  kin  hardly  put 
a  glove  on  him.  He  knocked  the  Pohoket  Cyclone 
dead  to  the  world  in  the  second  minute  o'  the  fifth 
round  last  Monday  night  at  New  Orleans.  Larkin's 
a  comer,  le'me  tell  youse." 


THE  RAGGED  EDGE  115 

McGlory  had  pulled  aside  one  of  the  window  blinds 
and  was  gazing  down  into  the  street. 

"  Say ! "  exclaimed  he  suddenly,  "  it's  a  bundle  o' 
skirts  what  sent  McGonagle  up  after  Kelly."  He  re 
garded  the  two  figures  standing  near  the  curb  below 
under  the  glare  of  the  gas  light,  intently.  "  It  looks," 
said  he,  "  like  Nolan's  sister." 

"  Cheese  it !  "  whispered  Murphy.  But  Roddy  Fer 
guson  had  caught  the  words;  and  he  stood  with  his 
elbow  resting  on  the  piano  top,  chewing  at  the  end 
of  his  cigar,  and  looking  with  clouded  brow  into  the 
fire.  It  was  an  open  secret  that  Bella  had  thrown  him 
over  for  Martin  Kelly;  Roddy  was  too  quiet  and 
steady  to  suit  her  light  temperament,  'he  lacked  Mar 
tin's  swagger  and  bluster,  qualities  which  Bella  liked, 
for  she  was  one  of  those  women  who  mistake  excess 
for  a  proof  of  spirit  and  dissolute  living  for  a  mark 
of  manhood. 

Martin  had  found  Bella  waiting  for  him  in  front 
of  Riley's.  His  anger  had  not  had  time  to  cool,  and 
he  demanded  roughly: 

"Well,  what  d'youse  want?" 


n6  THE  RAGGED  EDGE 

"  I'd  like  to  speak  to  you  Martin,"  timidly. 

"  Say,  don't  youse  begin  to  dog  me  up,  d'ye  hear ! 
I  won't  have  it !  " 

"  You  didn't  meet  me  last  night  at  Whalen's  dance 
like  ye  said  ye  would,  and  I  thought  somethin'  might 
be  the  matter." 

"  Nothin's  the  matter  only  I'm  'lectioneering  for  the 
old  man,  an'  I  ain't  got  no  time  to  meet  women." 

"  S-h-h !  Mart  Kelly,  I  don't  thank  you  one  bit 
for  talkin'  to  me  like  that !  Anybody  to  hear  ye  would 
think  I  was  common." 

He  looked  at  her  for  a  moment,  and  then  laughed : 

"  Oh,  I  guess  not,"  said  he. 

"Well,  don't  do  it  no  more!  I  don't  want  people 
talkin'  about  me  and  giving  me  a  shamed  face.  Ye 
know,  yourself,  they'd  on'y  be  too  ready.  Oh,  my 
Gawd,"  suddenly,  "  here  comes  Mom !  " 

Mrs.  Nolan,  a  market  basket  upon  her  arm,  came 
down  the  street  with  staggering  step.  Dick  had  en 
trusted  her  with  money  enough  to  go  marketing  and 
it  had  gone  for  drink;  she  was  muttering  to  herself 
and  gesticulating  drunkenly,  and  as  she  caught  sight 
of  the  pair  by  the  curb,  she  halted : 


THE  RAGGED  EDGE  117 

"  Ah !  "  cried  she.  "  Is  it  spharkin'  be  the  gutter 
yez'ed  be  doin',  jewels?  Have  ye  no  home  till  go  till, 
Bella,  that  yez  must  stan'  on  the  strate !  " 

"  Oh,  go  home !  "  cried  Bella,  scarlet  with  shame, 
"  everybody's  lookin'  at  you !  " 

"  Divil  a  hair  do  I  care.  Sure,  an'  haven't  I  the 
roight  till  take  a  sup  av  drink  iv  I  have  the  price  ?  It's 
not  long  yez  father  'ud  be  in  biz'ness,"  she  added  to 
Martin,  "  iv  it  wurn't  for  the  loikes  av  me." 

The  young  man  growled  out  an  oath.  He  saw  Mc- 
Gonagle  looking  at  him  through  Riley's  window,  and 
Riley,  himself,  with  a  grin  upon  his  face.  A  Saturday 
night  crowd  filled  Second  Street ;  many  that  knew  him 
stopped  and  looked  and  laughed;  on  the  opposite 
corner,  in  front  of  Kerrigan's  saloon  and  under  the 
glare  of  an  arc  lamp,  a  crowd  of  loungers  were  en 
joying  the  sight;  Officer  Hogan  was  slyly  pointing 
at  him  with  his  club,  and  saying  something  to  the 
bartender  who  stood  in  the  doorway. 

"  And  is  me  poor  home  not  good  enough  for  yez," 
went  on  Mrs.  Nolan  with  increased  pitch,  "  that  yez 
do  be  kapin'  me  daughter  stan'in'  in  the  strate  till  be 
talked  about.  Divil  a  better  had  yez  father  till  he 


n8  THE  RAGGED  EDGE 

tuk  to  sellin'  the  drop.  Lave  go  av  me  arm  Bella; 
I'll  go  home  whin  I  plaze  1 " 

"  Ye'll  go  home  now !  "  said  her  son,  pushing  his 
way  through  the  crowd  which  had  collected.  "  For 
God's  sake,"  as  she  began  struggling,  "  don't  make 
a  show  of  yourself !  T'ink  of  the  neighbours !  " 

"  May  the  divil  fly  away  wid  the  neighbours !  What 
call  have  I  till  be  af eerd  av  thim  ?  " 

"  Come  on,  Mom,"  urged  Bella,  almost  in  tears, 
"  if  ye  go  on  this  way,  I'll  never  show  me  face  outside 
the  door  again !  " 

"Ye  promised  to  do  right,"  said  Dick,  with  white 
face,  "  and  ye'll  never  get  another  cent  o'  my  money 
in  yer  hands  as  long  as  ye  live ! " 

Kelly  had  darted  into  Riley's;  and  the  tittering, 
thoughtless  crowd  was  growing  greater. 

"  Is  this  the  way  yez  talks  till  yez  owld  mother !  " 
cried  Mrs.  Nolan.  "  May  the  cross  av  Christ  darken 
the  day  yez  wur  born." 

A  man  laughed  loudly:  Dick  turned  with  a  snarl, 
caught  him  by  the  throat  with  one  hand,  the  other 
drawn  back  for  a  blow.  Bella  screamed  and  Hogan 
ran  across  the  street. 


THE  RAGGED  EDGE  119 

"  Don't  hit  him,"  shouted  the  policeman ;  "  don't 
hit  him,  Dick !  "  He  dragged  the  angry,  shame-mad 
dened  youth  away  from  his  victim.  "  I  don't  want  to 
pull  yez,"  said  he,  "  for  I  know  just  how  it  is.  Go 
along  home,  now  and  take  yez  mother  wid  ye." 

The  mother,  frightened  by  her  son's  sudden  exhibi 
tion  of  fury  submitted  to  being  led  away.  And  an  hour 
afterward  she  was  deep  in  a  drunken  sleep  on  a  narrow 
settee  in  her  kitchen.  Bella  sat  upon  the  steps  leading 
to  the  room  above,  and  her  brother  was  walking  the 
floor,  his  head  throbbing  and  a  sickening  feeling  at 
his  heart. 

"  It's  a  bad  t'ing  to  say,"  said  he  suddenly,  "  but 
sometimes  I  wisht  she  was  in  her  grave." 

"  Dick !  "  cried  his  sister,  frightened. 

"  I  know !  I  know !  "  waving  his  hand  impatiently, 
"yer  goin'  to  say  that  it  ain't  right;  an'  I  know 
that  as  well  as  you."  He  paced  up  and  down  in  silence 
for  a  moment.  "  Look  at  what  I  could  do  for  her," 
he  resumed,  "  if  she'd  on'y  do  what  was  right.  I  make 
big  money,  and  I'd  a-bought  a  house  out  o'  the  Build 
ing  Association  long  ago  if  it  hadn't  been  for  that " — 
with  a  gesture  toward  the  sleeping  form.  "  She  could 


iao  THE  RAGGED  EDGE 

live  like  a  lady — like  a  lady!  And  I'd  only  ask  her 
to  do  right." 

He  took  a  clay  pipe  from  the  shelf  over  the  door 
and  struck  a  match  upon  the  stove. 

"  How  often  has  she  promised  to  break  it  off  ? " 
demanded  he  staring  at  the  flickering  flame.  "  A  hun 
dred  times  if  she's  done  it  once."  Here  the  match 
sputtered  and  went  out,  and  he  threw  the  pipe  angrily 
from  him,  smashing  it  to  fragments  upon  the  floor. 
"  It  was  jist  like  that,  though,"  he  said.  "  She  broke 
'em  all !  She'll  do  anyt'ing  to  get  rum.  Look  at  last 
week  when  I  was  invited  to  Gartenheim's  sister's 
weddin' !  When  I  got  home  from  work  I  hadn't  a 
rag  to  put  on  me  back;  she'd  lifted  'em,  and  soaked 
'em  all  at  Rosenbaum's  hock  shop." 

And  bitterly  he  went  over  the  long  list  of  drink- 
inspired  acts  that  had  made  his  life  so  hard  to  live, 
and  with  a  sense  of  despair  he  looked  at  the  poor  bare 
room,  and  contrasted  it  with  the  comfortable  home 
that  he  could  have  supported  had  all  been  right.  The 
thought  came,  too,  of  Gartenheim's  bright  snug  home, 
of  the  gas-lit  parlour  on  the  Sunday  night  when  last 
he  had  been  there,  of  the  boss's  flaxen-haired  niece, 


THE  RAGGED  EDGE  121 

and  of  how  she  had  sung  the  "  Holy  City  "  for  him 
in  deep,  rich,  contralto  voice.  Then  came  darker 
thoughts,  and  he  sat  down  staring  vacantly  into  the 
fire.  Bella  watched  him  in  silence,  listening  to  the  tick 
of  the  little  nickel  clock,  and  petulantly  frowning  at 
the  bother  of  it  all. 

"  I  think  I'll  go  to  bed,"  she  said,  at  last.  She 
opened  the  stair  door  and  was  about  to  ascend  when 
she  felt  her  brother's  hand  upon  her  shoulder. 

"  I  oughtn't  to  say  this  maybe,"  said  he,  slowly, 
"  but  if  yer  mother  can't  tell  ye — why  I  must.  I  hope 
yer  a  good  girl  Bella ;  but  I  see  youse  with  Mart  Kelly 
often,  and  a  girl  can't  hold  her  head  up  long  if  she 
sticks  to  sich  people  as  him.  Break  it  off!  Break 
it  off,  I  tell  ye,  for  he's  no  good." 

He  looked  steadily  into  her  frightened  face  for  a 
moment  and  then  turned  away. 

"  Good  night,"  said  he. 

He  heard  the  clock  strike  every  hour  through  the 
long  night,  but  still  he  sat  there  struggling  under 
the  weight  of  his  cross. 


Chapter  XIII 


"Oh!    There  was  a  social  party, 
Of  Repubs  and  Democrats; 
Met  at  Michael  Casey's, 
And  put  away  their  hats, 
One  ticket  gave  a  lady, 
Admittance  and  her  grub, 
Invited  by  the  committee, 
Of  the  Casey  Social  Club." 

POPULAR  SONG. 

rHE  entrance  to  the  hall  was  a-glitter  with 
gas  lights;  freshly  barbered  young  men  in 
high  collars  and  sack  coats  stood  about 
the  doorway,  smoking  cigarettes  and  spitting 
on  the  steps.  A  wagon  was  unloading  kegs  of  beer 
at  a  side  door;  people  flocked  into  the  smoky 
entry;  now  and  then  a  hired  hack  would  pull  up  at 
the  curb  and  a  member  of  the  club  would  hand  his 
sweetheart  out  and  up  the  steps.  Four  policemen, 
engaged  at  three  dollars  a  head  to  keep  order,  stood 
on  the  sidewalk  counting  the  ingoing  kegs. 

122 


THE  RAGGED  EDGE  123 

"  Forty  quarters,  all  told,"  said  a  pock-marked 
officer,  lifting  his  huge  shoulders. 

"  Whew !  The  club'll  have  a  neat  wad  to  put  away 
if  they  sell  all  that!  An'  just  look  at  the  people 
goin'  in ! " 

"  Say,  there's  one  fight  in  every  two  kegs  o'  beer," 
said  a  third  policeman.  "  That  makes  twenty  turns 
before  the  janitor  turns  off  the  lights.  We  ain't  a-goin' 
to  have  no  cinch." 

The  others  laughed. 

At  the  far  end  of  the  entry  stood  a  pair  of  half 
doors  so  arranged  that  only  one  person  could  pass 
them  at  a  time.  Behind  these,  bathed  in  a  glare  of 
yellow  light  from  a  cluster  of  gas  jets  which  hung 
directly  overhead,  stood  Danny  Casey,  attired  in  a 
dress  suit  rented  from  Goldstine  the  costumer,  a  huge 
crimson  badge  edged  with  gold  braid  hanging  from 
his  lapel.  He  was  taking  tickets  and  deftly  slipping 
them  into  a  slot  in  a  tin  box  which  stood  beside  him 
on  a  chair;  on  the  stairs  leading  to  the  ballroom,  a 
man  with  a  mass  of  brass  checks  hanging  by  strings 
from  his  fingers  was  keeping  up  a  continuous  fire  of 
patter.  Murphy  and  McGonagle,  feeling  rather  queer 


i24  THE  RAGGED  EDGE 

behind  their  glittering  expanses  of  shirt  front,  walked 
stiffly  down  the  steps  to  where  Casey  was  standing. 

"  A  mob !  "  said  McGonagle.  "  The  floor's  blocked 
with  'em  already." 

"  And  they've  on'y  started  to  come,"  said  Casey. 
"  Who  ordered  the  extree  beer?  " 

"McGlory:  an'  we'll  need  it,  too;  for  the  guys 
what's  a-comin'  in  looks  dead  t'irsty." 

"  Say,"  put  in  Murphy,  in  an  injured  tone,  "  I  don't 
know  how  youse  people  take  it  but  I  feel  like  a  sign 
for  a  clothin'  store.  I  can't  bend  wit'out  breakin'  me 
shirt  and  the  pants  ain't  got  no  pockets  in." 

"  You  look,"  commented  McGonagle,  "  like  a  dressed 
up  prize-fighter.  Somebody  ought  to  slam  McGlory 
in  the  jaw  for  makin'  that  motion  that  we  all 
must  wear  dress  suits.  I  know  I  look  a  mess  in 
mine." 

"  Thirty-eight  dress  suits  at  a  dollar  a  throw," 
figured  Casey,  as  he  politely  plucked  ticket  after  ticket 
from  hands  extending  them  to  him ;  "  that's  thirty- 
eight  plunks.  Goldstine's  makin'  money  and  McGlory 
will  be  holdin'  him  up  for  a  comish." 

There  was  a  stir  among  the  sack-coated  and  high- 


THE  RAGGED  EDGE  125 

collared  coterie  at  the  entrance.  A  tall,  well-built  girl, 
tastefully  dressed  and  carrying  herself  with  a  dashing 
air,  had  come  in,  escorted  by  a  blushing  youth  who 
looked  very  uncomfortable  under  the  notice  they  cre 
ated. 

"  It's  Nelly  Fogarty,"  said  someone.  "  She  don't 
look  like  a  poverty  knocker  when  she's  dressed  up, 
eh?" 

"  '  Oh  Nelly  was  a  lady/  "  sang  another.  "  Say, 
Brennen,  here's  yer  girl !  " 

"  Gee !  "  exclaimed  the  person  addressed.  "  And  I 
told  her  I  wasn't  comin' ;  she's  got  me  dead !  " 

The  congregated  youths  grinned  over  their  high 
collars  and  bowed  after  the  fashion  approved  by  Pro 
fessor  Whalen,  teacher  of  the  "  Glide  Waltz."  The 
girl  flashed  them  a  smile  as  she  went  by,  a  bunch  of 
La  France  roses  in  her  hand.  But  a  cloud  crossed 
her  face,  and  she  bit  her  lips  at  sight  of  young 
Brennen. 

"  Go  on,  please,  Mr.  Shimph,"  requested  she,  of  her 
escort.  "  I'll  folly  you  in  a  minute." 

"  But,  say  Nell !  "  exclaimed  Shimph,  who  had  also 
caught  sight  of  Brennen,  "  yous're  with  me,  ain't  ye  ?  " 


126  THE  RAGGED  EDGE 

"Cert'n'y!"  with  a  lofty  air,  "I  don't  shake  me 
friends  that  way." 

Re-assured,  Shimph  walked  down  the  entry;  Miss 
Fogarty  beckoned  with  the  roses,  and  Brennen,  a  little 
abashed,  came  to  her. 

"  I  thought,"  said  she,  "  that  you  couldn't  come  to 
night.  What's  the  matter? — didn't  ye  want  to  take 
me?" 

"Ah,  say,  Nell!    What's  the  use— " 

"Who  did  ye  come  with?    Was  it  Mary  Haley?" 

"  I  came  alone  Nell ;   'pon  me  soul,  I  did !  " 

"  Eddy  Brennen,  if  I  thought  you  was  double-faced 
enough  to—" 

"  Will  ye  cheese  it !  If  the  gang  git  next  they'll 
give  me  the  laugh.  I  didn't  bring  no  lady,  Nell.  I'm 
dead  broke  and  couldn't,  see!  That's  the  reason  I 
give  youse  the  song  and  dance  about  not  comin'. 
When  I  take  youse  out,  I  want  to  do  the  right  t'ing." 

Nell's  face  grew  brighter  at  this  explanation  and  she 
said: 

"  I  knowed  you  wasn't  workin',  didn't  I ;  and  I 
didn't  expect  ye'd  blow  your  money  when  ye  hadn't 


THE  RAGGED  EDGE  127 

much.  You  ain't  acquainted  with  me,  I  can  see  that 
right  here.  I  ain't  no  leg-puller,  Got  a  ticket?  " 

"  No,"  answered  the  youth  awkwardly ;  "  I'm  waitin' 
for  a  slow.  Casey  told  me  there'd  be  some  goin' 
aroun'  after  the  push  got  in." 

"  For  Heaven's  sake !  "  cried  Miss  Fogarty :  "  Don't 
hang  around  the  door  waitin'  for  a  captain;  ye'll  git 
a  hard  name !  "  She  looked  down  the  entry  where 
Casey  was  riffling  a  packet  of  tickets  his  shirt  front 
and  rhinestone  studs  gleaming  under  the  slanting  rays 
of  light  "  After  I  go  in,"  continued  she,  "  ask  Danny 
for  one ;  I'll  fix  it  with  him  as  I  pass." 

"  But,  say  Nell !     I  don't  like—" 

"  Oh  bother !  "  She  started  to  rejoin  her  escort,  but 
stopped  suddenly. 

"  Look  here,"  she  cautioned,  "  don't  you  ask  me 
for  a  single  dance ;  for  if  ye  do  ye'll  get  flagged !  Rox 
Shimph  sent  me  these  flowers  and  put  up  money  for 
a  hack,  and  he's  me  partner  for  all  the  dances." 

"  Say,  are  youse  goin'  to  t'row  me  down  for  that — " 

"  Don't  call  him  names !  He's  run  the  pair  o'  looms 
next  to  mine  for  three  years  now,  and  he's  always 


128  THE  RAGGED  EDGE 

acted  like  a  perfect  gentleman.  You  come  to  see  me 
steady,  Mr.  Brennen,  but  I  won't  play  Rox  for  a 
lobster  even  for  you."  And  with  this  she  once  more 
started  away  fumbling  in  her  purse  and  saying  over 
her  shoulder:  "Don't  forget  to  ask  Danny  for  the 
ticket." 

Murphy  had  gone  to  the  street  door  to  speak  to  a 
friend  while  the  above  scene  was  enacting;  now  he 
came  hurrying  back  to  the  "  gate  "  excitedly. 

"  McGonagle,"  exclaimed  he,  "  here  comes  Nobby 
Foley  and  Tim  Daily  wit'  a  couple  o'  skirts.  I'll  bet 
we'll  have  the  '  chain  gang  '  here !  " 

"  Gee,"  murmured  Goose.  "  If  they  cut  loose  this 
won't  be  a  ball,  it'll  be  a  scrappin'  match.  Say  d'youse 
t'ink  four  cops  is  enough?  Hadn't  we  better  git  the 
loot  to  send  two  more?  " 

Murphy  looked  at  him,  disdainfully. 

"  We  ain't  a  lot  o'  kids,  are  we  ? "  inquired  he. 
"  I  might  be  dead  wrong  but  I  t'ink  the  push  kin  hold 
their  own  with  any  of  'em.  There's  only  one  t'ing  to 
do ;  as  soon  as  they  git  gay,  go  in  an'  slam  'em ;  ain't 
that  right?" 

Foley  was  short  and  square-jawed;  Daily  was  big 


THE  RAGGED  EDGE  129 

and  brawny;  and  both  carried  themselves  with  much 
aggressiveness,  swaggering  into  the  hall,  their  convoys 
on  their  arms,  with  the  air  of  men  whose  deeds  were 
epic  in  the  ward. 

"  That's  a  swell  one  wit'  Foley,"  whispered  a  voice. 
"  Who  is  she,  Brennen  ?  " 

"  An  old  party  rammer,"  answered  Brennen ;  "  an' 
she's  the  star  pivoter  of  Whalen's  Academy.  Her  an' 
Bat  Mahoney  won  the  prize  waltz  at  the  Emmet 
Band's  picnic,  Decoration  Day." 

"  Her  hair's  bleached,"  remarked  the  other ;  "  an' 
that  rouge  on  her  face  is  the  reddest  t'ing  that  ever 
come  down  the  pike." 

The  girl  was  taller  than  her  escort;  she  was  re 
markably  handsome,  dressed  richly,  and  held  herself 
in  a  way  that  made  the  women  whisper  and  the  men 
stare.  As  they  neared  the  gate,  she  laughing  and 
showing  her  beautiful  teeth  and  flashing  her  splendid 
eyes  here  and  there,  McGonagle  leaned  forward  and 
whispered  a  few  quick  words  in  Murphy's  ear. 

"  No !  "  exclaimed  the  latter,  incredulously. 

"  Sure  t'ing!    What  are  youse  goin'  to  do?  " 

"Why,  put  out  the  flag!" 


130  THE  RAGGED  EDGE 

Brennen  suddenly  craned  his  neck  out  of  its  circle 
of  stiff  linen,  excitedly. 

"  Murphy  won't  take  their  tickets !  "  he  breathed, 
"  there's  goin'  to  be  a  run  in  at  the  start !  " 

All  surged  toward  the  gate;  McGonagle  whistled 
through  his  thumb  and  fore-finger;  a  policeman  came 
looming  along  through  the  cigar  smoke. 

"  Stand  back,  gents,"  requested  he.  He  flourished 
his  club  airily,  and  measured  Daily  with  his  eye. 
"  On'y  three  couple  allowed  at  the  gate  at  a 
time." 

The  crowd  fell  back  disappointedly.  The  group 
at  the  gate  were  engaged  in  excited  debate ;  Foley  was 
describing  aerial  hieroglyphics  with  his  clenched  fist; 
the  girl  had  let  go  his  arm  and  was  staring  Murphy 
boldly  in  the  eye. 

"  You've  insulted  this  lady ! "  declared  Foley  in  a 
sharp  high  pitched  voice. 

"  I  didn't  insult  nobody,"  said  Murphy.  "  Didn't  I 
flag  her  on  the  quiet?  Nobody  knowed  it  until  youse 
made  a  holler." 

"  This  is  the  rankest  snap  I  ever  stacked  up  against," 
remarked  the  girl,  tossing  her  head  and  rubbing  the 


THE  RAGGED  EDGE  131 

wrinkles  out  of  her  long  gloves.  "  If  I'd  a-knowed  it 
was  a  nasty-nice  affair,  I  wouldn't  a-come !  " 

"  This  ain't  the  first  time  youse  gave  me  the  wrong 
end  of  it,  Murphy,"  said  Foley,  drawing  back  in  such 
a  way  as  to  cause  McGonagle  to  brace  himself  for  the 
expected  rush.  "  For  the  last  time ;  does  she  go  in, 
or  is  she  barred  ?  " 

"  She's  barred !  "  said  Murphy. 

"  This  ain't  no  flash  shine,"  broke  in  McGonagle, 
"  we've  got  our  girls  here  to-night,  and  I,  for  one, 
won't  let  mine  dance  on  the  same  floor  with  her,  and 
that  goes ! " 

"  Push  along,  gents,"  hinted  the  policeman,  "  in 
side  or  out ;  yer  blockin'  the  passage." 

Daily  jogged  his  companion's  elbow  and  whispered : 

"  Don't  git  leary ;  ye'll  queer  Kelly  if  ye  kick  up  a 
row,  now.  Give  him  a  chance  to  work  the  gang  what's 
runnin'  the  show.  We  can  come  back,  ye  know,  when 
he's  done;  and  if  youse  wants  to  do  business,  then, 
with  the  guy  on  the  door,  why  you  kin  go  ahead." 

The  crush  was  growing ;  Levi  and  his  orchestra  had 
just  gone  in,  and  the  tuning  of  the  harp  and  violins 
came  floating  down  the  stairway.  Belated  Jerry  Me- 


132  THE  RAGGED  EDGE 

Glory  came  striding  in,  in  a  light  top  coat  and  a 
glossy  silk  hat,  bowing  like  a  duke  to  his  acquaintances, 
with  Veronica  McTurpin,  the  little  widow  who  kept 
the  millinery  store;  she  was  half  hidden  in  her 
bouquet,  and  also  bowing  and  smiling,  dazzlingly. 
Mike  McCarty  followed,  more  than  ever  earning  his 
right  to  the  title  of  Brummel  of  the  ward.  He  carried 
his  stick  and  one  glove  in  his  right  hand;  with  the 
other  he  was  barely  touching  the  elbow  of  Mazie  Dris- 
coll,  who  sold  ribbons  in  a  down-town  store.  Then 
there  was  Shaffer  the  collector  for  the  brewery,  and 
Carrie  Lentze,  whose  father  carried  on  the  "  Delica 
tessen  "  store  on  the  avenue ;  while  behind  them  came 
Koskee  McGurk  and  a  daughter  of  O'Mally,  who  kept 
the  junk  shop  back  of  the  railroad. 

"  Checks!  "  cried  the  man  on  the  stairs  jingling  his 
bunch  of  brass  tags.  "  Put  yer  wardrobe  away,  gents ; 
youse  can't  go  on  the  floor  with  yer  overcoat  or  sky- 
piece." 

"  Hully  gee!"  gasped  a  youth  in  soiled  white  kid 
gloves  and  a  scarlet  Ascot  tie ;  "  they  sticks  youse  a 
quarter  for  wardrobe !  " 

"  It's  a  t'row  down,"  echoed  a  neighbour.    "  Mame," 


THE  RAGGED  EDGE  133 

to  the  girl  at  his  side,  "  it'll  cost  two  bits  to  put  away 
yer  hat." 

"  G'way,"  said  Mame,  shocked.  "  It's  not  the  right 
thing,  when  you're  asked  a  dollar  admission." 

The  man  with  the  checks  was  growing  impatient. 

"  Don't  hold  a  meetin'  and  make  speeches  about  it," 
requested  he.  "  If  yer  goin'  to  cough  up,  do  it." 

The  bar  was  on  the  second  floor  and  had  a  door 
leading  into  the  ball  room ;  groups  of  men  and  women 
were  gathered  about  the  tables ;  waiters  were  rushing 
about,  the  fingers  of  each  hand  twisted,  in  some  mi 
raculous  fashion,  about  the  handles  of  a  dozen  beer 
glasses ;  a  young  man  was  seated  at  a  piano,  singing  a 
popular  ballad  in  a  high,  throaty  voice ;  some  members 
of  the  club,  their  coats  stripped  off,  their  sleeves  rolled 
up,  were  drawing  beer,  popping  corks  and  passing  out 
dry-looking  cigars  to  a  long  line  of  thirsty  patrons  who 
stood  along  the  bar. 

It  was  ten  o'clock.  The  floor  of  the  ballroom  shone 
with  wax;  the  rows  of  chairs  upon  three  sides  were 
filled  with  chattering  couples;  Levi  and  his  musicians 
stood  ready.  All  were  waiting  for  Master-of-Cere- 
monies  Murphy,  to  give  the  word. 


134  THE  RAGGED  EDGE 

"  The  floor  looks  great,"  remarked  that  gentleman. 
He  was  surrounded  by  the  "  floor  committee  "  at  the 
far  end  of  the  room,  and  was  running  his  eye  over 
everything  like  a  general  before  going  into  battle. 
There  would  be  no  hitch  if  he  could  help  it.  He 
hummed  a  tune  and  went  through  a  few  steps  of  a 
"  glide  waltz  "  by  way  of  a  test. 

"  Like  old  cheese/'  commented  he,  "  jist  as  slippy 
as  ice."  He  looked  about  him,  again.  "  Where's  Mc- 
Gonagle  ?  "  he  inquired.  "  Oh,  there  youse  are,"  see 
ing  that  gentleman.  "All  ready?" 

"  Sure,"  responded  Goose,  "  it's  up  to  youse  to 
say  when." 

Larry  took  some  half  dozen  steps  out  upon  the  floor ; 
then  he  paused,  rapped  sharply  with  his  heel,  and  drew 
himself  up  with  a  dignity  that  Professor  Whalen  could 
not  have  excelled.  All  eyes  were  upon  him;  he  ex 
tended  both  arms,  palms  held  downward,  waving  them 
up  and  down.  Silence  fell.  The  palms  came  together 
with  a  sharp  report;  Levi  described  a  wild  flourish 
with  his  bow;  the  cornet  blared  brassily;  McGonagle 
and  Annie  Qancy  stepped  out  upon  the  floor  to  lead 
the  march.  The  ball  was  on. 


THE  RAGGED  EDGE  135 

At  midnight  the  affair  was  in  full  blast;  quadrille, 
schottische  and  waltz  succeeded  each  other  with  hardly 
a  pause,  the  dancers  whirled,  stamped  and  pirouetted 
with  exhaustless  energy;  the  musicians  blew  and 
scraped,  the  perspiration  dropping  from  their  faces. 
A  sergeant  of  police,  on  his  round  of  inspection,  had 
just  dropped  in;  he  stood  in  the  doorway  leading 
to  the  staircase  looking  wet  and  chilled,  for  it 
had  begun  to  rain,  and  talked  to  the  men  on  duty 
in  the  hall. 

"  Anything  doing  ?  "  asked  he,  shaking  the  drops 
of  water  from  the  brim  of  his  hat,  his  eyes  taking  in 
the  heaving  mass  on  the  floor,  swaying  in  rhythm  with 
the  music. 

"  On'y  a  couple  o'  drunks,"  answered  the  pock 
marked  officer ;  "  an'  we  just  fired  'em  out,  not  botherin' 
to  pull  up  for  the  wagon." 

"  I  seen  Daily  and  some  o'  that  crowd,  in  the  bar 
room  "  said  another.  "  From  the  way  things  look  he's 
cappin'  for  Kelly,  and  Kelly's  dealin'  out  the  dough 
for  further  orders." 

"For  drinks,  eh?"  The  sergeant  frowned.  "Say 
Laughlin,  go  in  there  and  tell  Kelly  I  want  to  see  him, 


136  THE  RAGGED  EDGE 

right  away.  The  damn  fool  oughtn't  make  work  for 
me!" 

Kelly  had  a  roll  of  notes  in  his  hand  and  was  flour 
ishing  them  animatedly  over  his  head ;  a  crowd  of  half 
drunken  youths  surged  about  him,  approvingly;  he 
was  their  idol,  having  usurped  the  post  held  an  hour 
before  by  Shaffer,  the  collector  for  the  brewery. 

"  This  is  the  stuff  that  makes  the  world  move !  "  de 
clared  the  saloonkeeper.  "  We're  all  after  it,  me 
bucko's,  ivery  wan  av  us  an'  small  blame  till  him  that 
puts  the  fattest  wad  in  the  bank,  eh  ?  " 

"  Yer  dead  right,  Kel,"  agreed  a  supporter. 

"  Barkeeper,"  remarked  Kelly  after  a  glance  about, 
"  me  friends  here  are  doin'  nawthin'."  He  stripped 
a  note  from  the  bundle  and  threw  it  upon  the  sloppy 
bar.  "  Work  that  out,"  requested  he,  "  an'  tell  me 
when  it's  done.  There's  more  to  folly,  for  I'm  out 
for  a  good  toime  the  noight." 

"  There's  a  good  t'ing !  "  exclaimed  Nobby  Foley. 
"  He's  a  blood,  d'ye  hear — a  blood !  He  treats  youse 
right,  see?" 

"  Gintlemen,"  affirmed  the  object  of  these  remarks, 
"  I  haven't  a  mane  bone  in  me  body,  an'  the  man  that 


THE  RAGGED  EDGE  137 

do  be  after  callin'  James  Kelly  a  friend,  is  welcome  till 
share  his  last  dollar.  Iv  any  av  yez  gits  pinched  does 
yez  friends  have  till  ax  me  twice  till  go  yez  bail?  Be 
hivens ! "  excitedly,  "  there  ain't  a  magistrate  in  the 
city,  Raypublican  or  Dimmycrat,  that'ed  kape  yez  in 
the  jug  a  minyute  after  I  wint  forninst  him  and  told 
him  till  lave  ye  go." 

The  enthusiasm  that  greeted  this  statement  shook 
the  walls.  Daily,  Foley,  and  a  select  circle  of  kindred 
spirits  added  no  little  volume  to  it.  They  rapturously 
patted  the  speaker  on  the  back  and  beat  the  bar  with 
their  glasses,  for  each  had  a  five  dollar  note  tucked 
snugly  away  in  his  pocket  and  felt  in  duty  bound  to  stir 
up  the  promised  amount  of  enthusiasm.  The  outburst 
elated  the  selectman ;  his  voice  was  husky  with  drink, 
but  he  climbed  upon  a  chair  and  plunged  into  a 
speech. 

"  The  fellys  that  are  again'  me,"  declared  he,  "  say 
that  I  am  not  a  Dimmycrat,  an'  would  have  yez  vote 
to  bate  me.  But  whin  the  day  comes  I'll  show  thim 
what  the  people  of  the  ward  t'ink,  because  the  dilly- 
gates  '11  be  there  that'll  name  me  in  spoite  av  thim ! " 

He  forgot  his  protestation  of  a  few  minutes  before 


138  THE  RAGGED  EDGE 

that  he  was  out  for  a  good  time,  and  proceeded  to 
make  a  bid  for  his  hearers'  support  at  the  primaries; 
Daily  and  his  henchmen  were  punctuating  his  re 
marks  by  salvos  of  applause,  when  Laughlin  sum 
moned  the  orator  into  the  entry. 

"Hello,  Phil,"  Kelly  greeted  the  sergeant,  "sure 
an'  it's  glad  till  see  yez  I  am;  but  divil  take  ye,  cud 
yez  not  wait  till  I  got  through!  I  had  'em  jist  where 
I  wanted  thim;  I  wur  makin'  votes  by  the  dozen." 

"  It's  a  slashin'  good  game  for  you,"  grumbled  the 
sergeant;  "but  look  at  my  end  of  it!  You  load  'em 
up  with  booze — they'll  fight — my  men'll  pull  'em,  an' 
I'll  have  to  hold  'em  till  Moran  kin  give'm  a  heariri' 
in  the  mornin'.  Then  what?  There's  lots  of  fellows 
from  my  division  here,  an'  I  must  carry  that  division, 
Kelly,  I  must  carry  it,  or  lose  me  job;  that's  just 
how  I  stand.  An'  if  I  put  me  people  away  in  the 
cooler  how  am  I  goin'  to  do  any  carryin',  eh  ?  " 

"  Tut,  tut,  man  dear,  I  must  make  meself  solid  wid 
the  gang  av  young  fellys.  Sure  a  drop  av  drink  '11 
do  thim  no  harm,  Phil;  it'll  make  thim  feel  good, 
that's  all." 

The  uproar  raised  by  Daily  and  his  friends  and 


THE  RAGGED  EDGE  139 

Kelly's  display  of  ready  money  had  captured  both  the 
rowdy  and  the  frothy  elements.  But  the  popular 
young  men — the  members  of  the  club  for  example — 
held  aloof;  and  it  was  these  that  Kelly  was  working 
for. 

"  The  stiff ! "  exclaimed  Jerry  McGlory,  as  Kelly 
came  back  into  the  barroom;  "he  t'inks  if  he  blows 
his  coin  over  the  bar  we'll  fall  in  line." 

"  Look  at  Mart,  over  there,"  said  McCarty,  "  he's 
looking  black  about  something." 

"  He  was  backcappin'  Murphy  a  while  ago.  He's 
half  lit  up,  and  he'll  say  somethin'  to  Larry  afore  the 
night's  over,  and  Larry'll  slam  him." 

It  was  McGonagle  that  spoke,  and  a  moment  later 
he  added: 

"  Here  he  comes  over !  Play  foxy,  gents ;  don't  give 
him  no  excuse  for  bother,  see?  " 

Young  Kelly  approached,  and  with  him  were  Daily 
and  Foley. 

"  How  are  youse,  gents  ?  "  saluted  Martin.  "  It's 
the  old  man's  treat ;  won't  youse  have  somethin'  ?  " 

"We're  on  the  floor  committee,"  said  McCarty, 
"  an'  we  ain't  touchin'  it  to-night." 


I4o  THE  RAGGED  EDGE 

Martin  sneered ;  Daily  heaved  his  bulging  chest  con 
temptuously  and  coughed.  It  was  Foley  that  spoke. 

"  When  a  gent  tries  to  be  friendly  wit'  me,"  an 
nounced  he,  "  I  be's  friendly  wit'  him,  see  ?  Ain't  that 
right?" 

"  It  depends  on  the  guy  that's  doin'  the  stunt,"  an 
swered  McGonagle. 

"  Eh,  no !  What  t'ell  no !  Youse  do  it  every  hitch !  " 
And  Foley  excitedly  dramatized  a  scene:  "A  gent 
comes  up  to  me,  and  puts  out  his  fin,  see?  What  do 
I  do?  Why  I  takes  it,  an'  puts  away  me  medicine  like 
a  little  man !  All  to  be  sociable,  see  ?  All  to  be 
sociable ! " 

"  That's  right,"  agreed  Daily.  "  That's  the  proper 
t'ing  to  do.  Why  youse'd  cut  a  hell  of  a  caper,  turnin' 
down  good  people,  wouldn't  youse." 

"Ah,  go  sdak  yer  head,"  growled  McGonagle. 
"  Youse  guys  give  me  a  pain !  We  ain't  suckers ;  we 
kin  see  a  play  when  it's  made,  as  well  as  the  next." 

"  Youse're  all  gents ! "  put  in  Martin,  sarcastically. 
"  Here  that  lobster  Murphy  goes  an'  turns  down  a 
lady,  at  the  door.  I'm  'sponsible  to  me  friends  for 
that,  d'ye  hear?  I  sold  'em  the  tickets  an'  I'm  'spon- 


THE  RAGGED  EDGE  141 

sible  for  the  game  I  steered  'em  against!  Ain't  that 
right?" 

"  Sure,"  answered  Daily  and  Foley  in  a  breath. 

"Where's  Murphy?"  demanded  Martin.  "Mur 
phy's  got  to  apologize  fer  insultin'  'Nobby's  lady 
friend.  He's  got  to  do  it !  " 

"  It's  comin',"  said  McGlory,  in  a  low  tone. 

"  We'd  better  put  Larry  next,"  remarked  McCarty 
in  the  same  voice.  "  Kelly  carries  a  jack ;  remember 
how  he  t'rowed  it  into  Ned  Hogan  that  night  ?  " 

Larry  was  dancing;  he  had  his  arm  about  Annie 
Clancy's  trim  waist  and  they  swayed  and  spun  with 
the  music.  Annie's  face  was  bright  and  happy;  her 
eyes  shone  like  twin  stars,  for  Larry  was  telling  her 
how  good  a  fellow  his  friend  McGonagle  was,  and 
that  was  a  tale  that  Annie  could  have  listened  to 
forever. 

Word  had  gone  about  among  the  "  floor  com 
mittee"  that  Kelly  was  looking  for  him,  and  Larry 
received  mysterious  nods,  winks  and  signals.  He 
could  make  nothing  of  it,  so  he  led  Annie  to  a  seat 
beside  Miss  McTurpin,  and  walked  over  to  where 
McGonagle,  who  had  crossed  the  room,  was  standing. 


THE  RAGGED  EDGE 

"  What's  the  new  one  ?  "  inquired  Larry.  "  What's 
the  gang  all  pullin'  faces  about  ?  " 

"  Keep  yer  eyes  on  Kelly,"  cautioned  Goose.  "  He's 
been  puttin'  away  .booze  all  night,  and  he  wants  to 
see  you  about  the  girl  what  you  flagged  at  the  door." 

"  Oh ! "  Larry  shoved  his  head  forward  in  a  bull- 
like  movement  and  stared  about  him.  "  Does  he  want 
some  o'  my  game,  eh?  Is  the  lobster  spoilin'  to  mix 
it  up  with  me?  There'll  be  on'y  two  blows  struck; 
I'll  hit  him,  and  he'll  hit  the  floor!  " 

Mike  McCarty  came  out  of  the  barroom  and  ap- 
preached  them,  crossing  the  floor  in  the  midst  of  the 
dancers.  A  girl's  swinging  skirts  almost  wrapped 
themselves  about  him,  as  her  partner  piloted  her  by. 

"  Ah,  there,  Mike  ?  "  cried  the  lady,  gleefully,  and 
McCarty  bowed  like  a  Chesterfield,  never  pausing  in 
his  stride,  however,  until  he  reached  the  spot  where 
Goose  and  Larry  were  talking. 

"  Kelly's  comin'  across,"  said  he  pointing  among  the 
dancing  throng.  "  He  just  seen  youse  a  minit  ago, 
and  he's  goin'  to  lay  you  out,  so  he  says." 

Larry  growled  an  answer  deep  down  in  his  chest; 
he  was  looking  at  Kelly  and  his  two  allies  as  they 


THE  RAGGED  EDGE  143 

swaggered  through  the  dancers.  McGonagle  rapped 
out  a  vexed  oath,  as  he  caught  Larry  by  the  arm. 

"  I  t 'ought,"  complained  he,  "  that  we'd  pull  off  this 
affair  wit'out  any  scrappin';  and  here  them  mugs 
spoils  it  all.  Say,  if  there's  a  fight,  Annie  won't  do  a 
t'ing  but  climb  down  me  back  fer  fetchin'  her." 

"  My  girl  too,"  said  McCarty,  dolefully. 

"  Come  out  in  the  entry,"  pleaded  Goose.  "  Don't 
scare  the  women !  " 

Larry  reluctantly  went  with  them,  casting  glances 
over  his  shoulder  at  his  prospective  opponent. 

"  The  mug'll  t'ink  I'm  afraid  o'  him,"  said  he. 
When  they  reached  the  entry  he  tugged  viciously  at 
the  breast  of  his  dress  coat.  "  Damn  it,"  growled  he, 
savagely,  "  the  t'ing  ain't  got  no  buttons  on !  I  don't 
want  to  get  no  blood  on  me  shirt  front." 

"  Keep  yer  eyes  on  Foley,"  whispered  Mike  to  Mc 
Gonagle.  "  I'll  look  out  for  Daily." 

"  D'ye  t'ink  ye  kin  hold  him  even  ?  He  pulls  the 
beam  fifty  pounds  more'n  youse." 

"  I  wouldn't  care,"  smiled  Mike,  "  if  he  was  as  big 
as  the  side  o'  a  house.  The  bigger  he  is  the  harder 
he'll  fall." 


144  THE  RAGGED  EDGE 

"  Youse're  a  nice-lookin'  pill,  ain't  ye  ? "  were 
Kelly's  first  words.  "  Floor  Manager,  too,"  sneer- 
ingly ;  "  why,  youse  don't  know  a  lady  when  ye  see 
one." 

"  She's  crooked !  "  remarked  Larry,  "  and  youse 
know  she  is." 

"  You're  a  liar,"  snarled  Martin.  "  And  even  if  she 
is,  she's  better  than  some  women  I  know  of.  She  don't 
live  with — " 

He  did  not  finish  but  leaped  back  and  threw  up  his 
guard.  Larry,  his  face  wrinkling  with  a  grin,  was 
upon  him,  striking  with  the  speed,  precision  and  power 
of  a  practiced  boxer.  The  exchange  was  heavy  and 
rapid.  The  men  panted  and  laboured  for  breath,  curs 
ing  each  other  between  their  teeth.  The  policemen 
were  clattering  up  the  steps  from  the  lower  passage; 
the  doorway  leading  to  the  ball  room  was  banked 
solid  with  the  strained,  anxious  faces  of  partisans; 
women  screamed  shrilly;  the  music  stopped  with  a 
crash. 

Suddenly  Larry  slipped  and  fell  upon  one  knee; 
Foley  made  a  quick,  wicked  kick  at  his  side,  and  the 
next  instant  was  thrown  against  the  wall  by  the  force 


THE  RAGGED  EDGE  145 

of  a  smashing  blow  from  McGonagle.  Mike  Mc- 
Carty  was  staring  eagerly  into  Daily's  face,  his  body 
quivering  like  that  of  a  crouching  cat,  when  the  offi 
cers  arrived. 

"  Fire  'em  out,"  commanded  McGonagle.  "  Fire 
the  t'ree  o'  them !  " 

The  offenders  were  promptly  hustled  down  the 
stairs  and  out  upon  the  sidewalk.  A  light  rain  was 
falling;  the  arc  lamps  sputtered  and  hissed  in  the 
silence.  A  form  wrapped  in  a  blue  mackintosh, 
and  holding  an  umbrella,  was  standing  upon  the 
steps. 

"  Here  he  is,"  laughed  the  policeman  who  held 
Martin ;  "  and  I  didn't  have  to  tell  him  he  was  wanted, 
either." 

The  three  ejected  ones  stared  curiously  at  the  wo 
man  ;  and  the  policeman  laughed  again  and  closed  the 
door. 

"  Mart,"  said  the  woman,  "  I  want  to  talk  to  you." 

"  Who's  yer  friend,"  snickered  Foley. 

"  Give  us  a  knockdown,"  said  Daily. 

"  Oh,  hell !  "  Martin's  tone  was  one  of  deep  disgust 
and  he  waved  his  hand  in  a  bored  fashion. 


146  THE  RAGGED  EDGE 

"  Le's  go  have  somethin',  then,"  suggested  Daily, 
"  don't  stand  here  in  the  damp." 

"  Go  on  home,  Bella,"  commanded  Martin,  address 
ing  the  woman  on  the  steps.  "  What  are  ye  doin' 
around  here,  anyway  ?  Youse  must  t'ink  I'm  a  chump, 
don't  ye,  to  have  youse  follyin'  me  up  this  way." 

"Just  a  minute,  Mart,"  pleaded  Bella:  "I  won't 
be  longer  than  a  minute,  so  help  me  God !  " 

"  Ah,  git  away  from  me !  " 

"Mart!" 

"  Go  on,  Kelly,"  said  Daily;  "  don't  talk  to  a  bundle 
o'  skirts  that  way.  See  what  she  wants ;  we'll  wait  for 
youse  at  Mintzers." 

Daily  and  Foley  cut  across  the  street  to  where  the 
lights  of  a  saloon  flared  redly  through  the  mist ;  Mar 
tin  and  the  girl  started  up  the  street,  slowly.  She  gave 
one  upward  glance  at  the  windows  of  the  hall,  and 
sighed  to  see  the  dancers  whirl  gayly  by.  That  was 
of  the  bright  past;  and  the  future  was  black  enough 
for  her. 


Chapter  XIV 


"  When  we  were  lovers,  you  were  my  downfall, 
Now  I  am  sneered  at  and  jeered  at  by  all." 

SONGS  OF  THE  CURB. 

/T  was  the  season  of  rains,  and  the  great  sewer 
that  drains  the  northwestern  section  of  the 
city  had  burst  again,  and  with  its  collapse 
sunk  a  goodly  part  of  two  streets  at  the  junc 
tion  of  Germantown  Avenue  and  Third  Street. 
Gartenheim  was  doing  the  repairing  as  he  had  often 
done  before ;  great  heaps  of  brick  and  timber  lay  about 
the  break  in  the  street ;  a  donkey  engine,  shrouded  in 
a  canvas  covering  loomed  up  spectre  like  in  the  fog; 
from  the  small  windows  of  the  tool  shanty  crept  a  pale 
flare  of  light;  and  a  man  could  be  seen  within,  bent 
over  a  mass  of  papers  and  time-books.  Martin  and 
Bella  paused  at  the  foot  of  a  broken  spile-driver. 

"  It's  our  Dick,"  breathed  Bella.     "  Let's  go  some 
other  way." 

147 


148  THE  RAGGED  EDGE 

"  Oh,  come  on !  What's  the  matter  with  ye.  He 
won't  see  ye." 

"  I  ain't  a-goin'  apast !  He'd  never  let  me  hear  the 
last  of  it  if  he  seen  me  out  so  late." 

"  Well,  speak  yer  piece,  here.  What  d'ye  want  to 
say?" 

"  You  know  well  enough  what  it  is." 

"  Say,  is  it  that  same  old  cry  ?  Youse  make  me 
tired!" 

"  I  don't  care !  I  on'y  want  you  to  do  right  by  me ; 
you  promised  you  would." 

Martin  laughed.  Bella's  face  was  pale,  and  the 
damp,  penetrating  mist  made  her  shiver;  a  single, 
heavy  drop  of  water  was  falling  from  a  height  upon 
her  umbrella,  with  a  measured  beat  that  kept  time 
with  the  pulsation  of  her  heart. 

"  I  didn't  promise  nothin',"  said  he.  "  D'ye  take 
me  for  a  gilly?" 

"  But  ye  must !  "  she  cried,  desperately.  "  If  ye 
don't,  what'll  I  do?" 

"  Damn'f  I  know.  But  ye  don't  tie  me  up  in  the 
t'ing,  I  know  that." 

"You  on'y  think  of  yourself!     What'll  Dick  say? 


THE  RAGGED  EDGE  149 

What'll  everybody  say?  I  can't  face  it,  Mart;  I  can't 
face  it!" 

She  began  to  sob  huskily;  Martin  prodded  a  stone 
with  the  toe  of  his  shoe  and  reflected;  he  whistled  a 
few  bars  from  a  popular  song  to  convey  an  impres 
sion  of  carelessness;  nevertheless  he  was  troubled. 

"  Well,"  said  he  at  length ;  "  what  are  ye  goin'  to 
do?" 

"  It's  for  you  to  say  that." 

"  Well,"  deliberately,  "  I  ain't  a-goin  to  do  nothin'." 

"  Ye  don't  want  to,  I  know."  Then  she  added  after 
a  pause :  "  I  was  to  see  Father  Dawson,  yesterday." 

"Eh?" 

"  He  said  he  was  comin'  to  see  you ;  and  he  said  it 
was  shameful." 

"  So  you've  beefed,  eh  ?  Yer  goin'  to  try  that  racket, 
are  youse?  Well  you've  made  a  scratch,  see?  Ye 
forgot  to  call  yer  play.  I  don't  go  to  church ;  he  can't 
jump  me  because  I  won't  stand  for  it." 

"  Then  he'll  go  to  your  father,"  said  she,  "  and  I 
will,  too.  He'll  make  ye  do  what  ye  said  ye  would; 
he  can't  help  it !  " 

"  I'll  jump  the  town,"  said  he,  doggedly.     "  There 


150  THE  RAGGED  EDGE 

ain't  no  use  chewin'  it  up  with  the  old  man;  he  ain't 
got  no  pull  with  me!  I'd  flag  him  as  quick  as  I  would 
youse." 

Then  she  began  to  reproach  him.  He  opened  an 
extensive  vocabulary  of  abuse,  and  drenched  her  with 
epithets ;  she  grew  angry  and  responded  in  kind ;  for 
a  time  their  words  reeked  with  foulness.  Suddenly 
he  drew  back  his  arm  and  struck  her;  she  fell  back 
ward,  the  blood  spirting  from  her  nostrils  and  mouth. 
Kelly  did  not  give  her  a  second  glance,  but  strode 
away,  cursing  under  his  breath. 

People  have  an  awkward  habit  of  dying  at  all  hours 
of  the  day  and  night,  and  an  undertaker  is  never  care 
free  for  a  moment.  Roddy  Ferguson  was  revolving 
this  fact  with  gloomy  disapproval  as  he  bowled  stable- 
ward  in  O'Connor's  black  wagon,  his  mud  spattered 
horse  picking  its  way  along  the  broken  street. 

"  Old  Brannagan,"  muttered  Roddy,  "  has  been 
dyin'  once  a  month  reg'lar  for  the  last  three  years ;  and 
now,  just  because  it's  the  night  of  the  ball,  he  cashes 
in  for  real,  an'  I  have  to  hustle  to  fix  him  up." 

His  horse  shied,  and  the  youth  tightened  the  reins 
and  chirruped  soothingly. 


THE  RAGGED  EDGE  151 

"  Gartenheim,"  he  mused,  "  must  be  gittin'  paid  by 
the  day  for  this  sewer ;  he's  been  long  enough  at  it  to 
sew  tassels  on  every  brick  he  puts  in.  Go  on  there,  ye 
big  Indian,  what's  the  matter  with  youse,  anyhow  ?  " 

He  jumped  out  to  see  what  frightened  the  horse,  and 
at  once  caught  sight  of  the  prostrate  figure  at  the  foot 
of  the  spile-driver;  the  pale,  wavering  rays  of  a  gas 
lamp  gave  him  a  glimpse  of  the  blood-smeared  face. 

"  It's  a  woman,"  he  gasped,  "  she  must  be  hurted !  " 

He  threw  his  horse  blanket  over  her  as  a  protection 
from  the  rain  and  then  rushed  toward  the  tool  shanty 
and  opened  the  door. 

"  Say,"  panted  he,  "  there's  a  woman  out  here  hurt. 
Kin  I  bring  her  in  here  while  I  get  a  cop  to  ring  up 
for  the  wagon  ?  " 

Dick  Nolan  stared  at  him,  vacantly,  chewing  at  the 
end  of  his  pencil,  the  figures  of  the  time  tickets  buzz 
ing  in  his  head.  He  did  not  catch  the  import  of  the 
words  for  a  moment,  neither  did  he  recognize  Fergu 
son  ;  then  his  brain  burst  through  the  maze  of  arith 
metic  and  both  flashed  upon  him. 

"  Oh,"  said  he  in  sullen  recognition.    "  Who  is  it?  " 

"  I  didn't  ask  for  no  card,"  returned  Roddy,  sar- 


152  THE  RAGGED  EDGE 

castically.  It  was  the  first  words  he  had  exchanged 
with  Nolan  for  almost  two  years,  and  the  fact  that  he 
had  spoken  first,  galled  him.  "  Lend  me  a  hand,"  re 
quested  he,  "  I  don't  t'ink  she  kin  walk." 

They  found  the  girl  upon  her  feet,  leaning  dazedly 
against  the  heavy  timbers  of  the  machine.  Roddy 
drew  his  breath,  hissingly  as  he  recognized  her;  and 
Dick  stabbed  through  the  air  at  him  with  one  quiver 
ing  finger. 

"  What  is  this,  eh?    Tell  me,  quick!  "  grated  he. 

"  If  there's  anything  wrong,"  answered  Roddy, 
"  may  I  rot  and  die  if  I  had  a  hand  in  it !  You  know 
I  fought  well  o'  her,  Nolan !  " 

Dick  rubbed  some  of  the  blood  from  her  face;  she 
was  sobbing  and  clung  to  him  tightly. 

"  Who  done  this  ?  "  demanded  he. 

Ferguson's  straining  ears  caught  trie  whispered  an 
swer,  and  a  sense  of  smothering  filled  his  breast. 

"Kin  ye  walk?" 

"  I  think  so ;  he  didn't  hurt  me  much." 

"  I'll  take  her  home,"  said  Dick ;  "  ye  needn't  wait." 

He  held  out  his  hand  and  the  other  gripped  it. 


THE  RAGGED  EDGE  153 

"  If  yer  goin'  to  do  anyt'ing,"  said  Ferguson, 
eagerly,  "  I  want  to  stand  in  with  ye." 

"  Don't  say  anything,"  warned  Nolan.  "  An',  say, 
where  kin  I  see  youse  in  the  mornin'?" 

"  At  the  club,"  said  Roddy,  "  afore  ye  go  to  work. 
And  ye  kin  bank  on  me  not  to  say  a  word." 

And  they  parted. 


Chapter  XV 


"A  gadder  kin  put  more  good  t'ings  to  the  bad  in  a 
three-minute  round,  than  a  draught  horse  could  pull 
from  here  to  the  corner." 

CHIP  NOLAN'S  REMARKS. 

7i  /f  RS.  BURNS  was  bending  over  her  wash- 
J  mri  tub,  placed  upon  a  bench  in  the  alley, 
taking  the  skin  from  her  knuckles  rubbing 
one  of  Tim's  red  flannel  shirts.  It  was  wash  day  in 
Murphy's  Court  and  a  network  of  clothes  lines 
was  strung  from  dwelling  to  stable,  making  a  constant 
bending  necessary  to  safe  progress.  Mrs.  Nolan  was 
hanging  out  her  wash  in  her  allotted  space,  her  mouth 
stopped  with  clothes-pins  and  her  skirts  tucked  up  out 
of  the  damp;  Mrs.  McGonagle,  who  was  making  a 
social  call,  sat  upon  Mrs.  Burns'  doorstep  watching 
the  efforts  of  her  hostess  across  the  drifting  steam. 

"  Glory  be ! "  exclaimed  that  lady,  at  length,  paus 
ing  and  wiping  the  perspiration  from  her  face  with  one 
bleached  and  wrinkled  hand,  "  the  owld  felly  himself 

154 


THE  RAGGED  EDGE  155 

cud  do  nawthin'  wid  it  I  Sure  I've  rubbed  it,  an'  I've 
b'iled  it;  I've  bleached  it,  an'  I've  got  down  on  me 
two  knees  an'  scrubbed  it,  but  sorra  the  cleaner  it'll 
git!" 

"  God  love  yez,  avic,  don't  I  know,"  said  her  caller. 
"  Faith  Goose  gits  his  shirts  in  sich  a  state  from  his 
bit  av  work,  that  the  washin'  fair  takes  me  breath 
from  me." 

"  An'  it's  Murphy's  wash  I'll  have  till  do  after  me 
own,"  said  Mrs.  Burns,  grappling  once  more  with  the 
labor  at  hand,  half  hidden  in  the  thick  cloud  of  steam. 
"  It's  a-most  dead  I'll  be  afore  noight." 

Mrs.  Nolan  flung  a  bedspread  to  the  breeze  and 
clamped  it  down  with  pins. 

"  How  is  Mary  gittin'  ?  "  inquired  she. 

"  About  the  same,"  answered  Mrs.  Burns.  "  Poor 
sowl;  she's  failin1  fast," 

"  Tis  a  sin  an'  a  shame  till  hark  till  the  cacklin'  that 
do  be  goin'  aroun'  about  her,"  said  Mrs.  McGonagle. 
"  Thim  Kelly's  is  spalpeens,  so  they  are  1 " 

"  Divil  pull  the  tongues  out  av  thim !  "  cried  Mrs. 
Burns.  "  Did  she  not  feed  me  two  children  whin  I 
hadn't  a  bite  nor  a  sup  in  the  house?  " 


156  THE  RAGGED  EDGE 

"  Ah !  An'  did  she  iver  pass  a  body  widout  a  good 
word?" 

"  Yez  may  say  so,  'Mrs.  Nolan.  Iv  I  wur  Larry,  it's 
have  thim  afore  Judge  Moran,  I  wud ! " 

But  a  little  time  had  elapsed  since  the  events  nar 
rated  in  the  preceding  chapters.  Mary's  frail  health 
had  suddenly  failed,  and  Larry  passed  most  of  his 
time  hovering  about  the  sick-room.  Their  engage 
ment  had  caused  much  comment  in  the  parish  and  af 
forded  the  Kdlys  a  chance  to  rid  themselves  of  much 
of  the  venom  which  the  willing  of  the  estate  had 
distilled. 

"  Scure  till  the  bit  av  luck  cud  they  expect,"  Mrs. 
Kelly  had  declared.  "  The  owld  man's  eyes  were 
hardly  closed  afore  they  were  makin'  eyes  at  wan  an 
other.  The  white  faced  t'ing  is  mad  after  him ! " 

"  It's  the  bit  av  money  she  wants,"  her  husband  had 
said.  "  She  do  be  a  sly  one  for  all  her  quietness." 

It  was  this  sort  of  thing — and  worse — that  had 
caused  the  indignation  of  the  trio  of  ladies  in  the 
court ;  it  had  gotten  about  the  neighbourhood  and  had 
long  been  the  topic  for  conversation  over  cans  of  beer. 

"  Here  comes  Rosie,  again,"  said  Mrs.  Nolan. 


THE  RAGGED  EDGE  157 

"  Arrah,  what  wud  Larry  do  at  all,  at  all,  widout 
her?  Divil  the  bit  av  good  owld  Mrs.  Coogan  is  as  a 
housekeeper.  Rosie  t'inks  a  power  av  Mary  an'  tinds 
till  her  loike  a  sister.  An'  Maggie  Dwyer,  God  bless 
her,  she's  the  good  girl  till  thim." 

Mrs.  Nolan's  red  face  became  solemn.  "  Whisper  1  " 
said  she,  "  did  yez  hear  the  talk  about  Rosie  an' 
Larry?" 

"  Divil  take  ye,  Mrs.  Nolan ! "  Mrs.  McGonagle 
fairly  bristled.  "  Is  it  help  till  carry  it  around  ye'd 
be  doin'?" 

"  Sure,  I'm  not  sayin'  it's  true." 

"  Ye  had  better  luk  at  home,"  muttered  Mrs.  Burns 
from  amid  her  cloud  of  steam. 

Larry  was  in  the  kitchen  washing  his  hands  at  the 
sink.  He  had  just  been  raking  the  fire  so  that  it  would 
burn  brighter,  and  the  remains  of  his  breakfast  still 
littered  the  table.  Mary  was  in  the  adjoining  room 
propped  up  by  pillows  in  a  big  rocker;  she  had  just 
awakened  from  a  light  sleep  and  had  been  watching 
his  efforts,  a  faint  smile  upon  her  lips.  When  Rosie 
O'Hara  came  into  the  kitchen  by  the  back  door,  Larry 
greeted  her,  ruefully. 


158  THE  RAGGED  EDGE 

"  I've  bin  tryin'  to  make  the  fire  come  up,"  said  he 
with  a  glance  at  the  grey  grate. 

Rosie  laughed.  She  set  the  steaming  pitcher  of 
broth,  which  she  carried,  upon  the  table. 

"  I've  brought  that  for  Mary,"  gaid  she,  attacking 
the  range  with  vigour ;  "  I  thought  she  might  like  it. 
How  is  she  ?  " 

"  She  had  a  bad  night — had  a  hemorrhage  after 
youse  went  home,  and  she  don't  breathe  very  easy. 
She's  asleep  now,  though." 

"  You  mustn't  get  frightened,  Larry ;  the  doctor 
says  there's  no  danger  yet,  you  know."  Rosie  tied  an 
apron,  which  she  took  from  a  nail,  about  her  trim 
waist.  "  I'll  wash  these  dishes  for  ye,"  she  said.  "  I 
couldn't  get  in  to  get  your  breakfast,  for  Aunt  Ellen 
kept  me  busy." 

"  I  burnt  the  steak  to  cinders,"  said  Larry  forlornly, 
"  and  youse  could  cut  the  coffee  in  slices." 

"  Poor  fellow !  "  She  looked  so  bright,  so  sisterly, 
so  helpful,  that  the  poor,  strangely  circumstanced 
young  man  felt  his  heart  go  out  to  her  in  thanks.  He 
never  knew  what  prompted  him  to  do  it,  but  he  leaned 
forward  and  kissed  her  upon  the  cheek.  She  looked 


THE  RAGGED  EDGE  159 

up,  frightened;  but  the  expression  in  his  eyes  reas 
sured  her  and  the  bright  tears  sprang  to  her  own. 

And  when  he  went  into  the  room  where  Mary  sat 
he  thought  she  looked  whiter  than  usual. 

"  Hello!  "  he  cried  gladly,  "  Yer  awake,  eh?  "  He 
took  her  slim  hand  in  his  own  strong,  rough  one,  and 
it  was  trembling.  She  looked  into  his  face  strangely ; 
for  her  visitors  had  been  many  since  her  illness  and 
she  had  heard  things  of  which  she  had  never  spoken. 

"  D'ye  feel  worse?  "  asked  he  anxiously. 

"  No !    Only  a  little  faint/'  she  answered. 

And  from  that  day  her  failure  was  more  rapid ;  from 
that  day  her  patience,  her  gentleness  was  more  marked ; 
from  that  day,  if  the  truth  be  known,  she  grew  anxious 
to  die. 


Chapter  XVI 


"Sweet  came  the  hallowed  chiming, 

Of  the  Sabbath  bell, 
Borne  on  the  morning  breezes, 

Down  the  woody  dell; 
On  a  bed  of  pain  and  anguish, 

Lay  dear  Annie  Lisle, 
Changed  were  the  lovely  features, 

Gone  the  happy  smile." 

ANNIE  LISLE. 

/T  was  a  pleasant  evening  and  the  groups  of 
children  were  playing  "  a  ring,  a  ring  o'roses," 
in  front  of  Clancy's  grocery.     Clancy   was 
whirling    at    the    handle    of    the    coffee    mill;    and 
Annie  was  attending  to  the  other  wants  of  Mrs.  Mc- 
Gonagle.  who  stood  at  the  counter. 

"  They  say  that  Mary  do  be  very  low,"  panted  the 
grocer. 

"  God  help  uz,  yis,"  said  Mrs.  McGonagle,  sorrow 
fully. 

160 


THE  RAGGED  EDGE  161 

"  Your  heart'd  ache  to  see  poor  Larry,"  remarked 
Annie.  "  That's  tea,  soft  soap,  two  cents'  worth  of 
syrup,  and  a  mackerel,  Mrs.  McGonagle,  what  elce  ?  " 

"  That's  all  to-noight,  barrin'  the  bit  av  coffee.  It's 
a  sore  trial  for  him,  poor  sowl !  " 

"  He  thinks  the  world  av  her,  do  Larry,  an'  it'll  be 
a  hard  job  for  him  till  lose  her."  As  he  spoke  Clancy 
dumped  the  ground  coffee  into  a  paper  bag  and  with 
deft  fingers  tied  it  up.  The  song  of  the  children  came 
through  the  door : 

"  There  came  two  dukes  a-riding, 

Riding,  riding, 

There  came  two  dukes  a-riding, 
All  on  a  summer's  day." 

"  Go  long  out  av  that  wid  yez !  "  shouted  Clancy ; 
but  the  joyous  little  crew  sang  on  unheeding : 

"  What  are  ye  riding  here  for, 

Here  for,  here  for? 
What  are  ye  riding  here  for, 

All  on  a  summer's  day?" 


162  THE  RAGGED  EDGE 

The  exact  nature  of  the  noble  twain's  errand  still 
remains  a  mystery,  for  the  grocer  bounced  through 
the  doorway  and  scattered  the  tots  in  every  direction. 

"  Ye  young  villyanB !  "  shouted  Clancy  with  a  great 
assumption  of  anger ;  "  sure  a  body  can't  hear  them 
selves  think,  for  yez.  Don't  yez  know  that  Mary  Car 
roll  do  be  at  death's  dure,  ye  bla'gards !  " 

James  Kelly  polished  the  walnut  top  of  his  bar  and 
nodded  a  "  Good  Luck  "  to  Schwartz  as  the  barber 
was  about  to  swallow  his  evening  glass  of  beer. 

"  I  hear  that  young  Murphy's  intended  wife  do  be 
dyin',"  said  he. 

Schwartz  wiped  his  mouth  upon  the  towel  hanging 
outside  the  bar. 

"  It  vas  doo  pad,"  returned  he.  "  An'  she  vas  sutch 
a  young  vooman,  doo !  " 

"  She  have  the  con-stim-shun,"  went  on  Kelly, 
cheerfully,  "an*  sorra  a  few  av  thirn  iver  git  well  av 
that." 

"  AcH  nine !  Dey  hafe  a  ferry  boor  chanct."  And 
the  barber  shook  his  head. 

"  Oh,  well !  It's  not  any  of  our  doifi',  Schwartz," 
said  Kelly,  his  voice  full  of  comfortable  irresponsi- 


THE  RAGGED  EDGE  163 

bility,  "  But  hacks  will  bring  a  power  av  money  on 
the  day  av  the  berryin'." 

A  group  of  "  somewhat  drunk  "  young  men  sat  upon 
the  cellar  door  in  McGarragles'  Alley,  hawling  out  a 
popular  song  between  pulls  at  a  can  of  beer.  Goose 
McGonagle,  who  was  passing,  paused  and  regarded 
them  disdainfully, 

"  Did  somebody  hit  youse  mugs  with  a  bar  rag !  " 
demanded  he.  "Ain't  none  o'  youse  got  no  sense? 
Here's  Mary  Carroll  a-dyin'  and  youse  people  raisin' 
hell  almost  under  the  window." 

The  singing  stopped ;  the  young  roughs  had  always 
taken  off  their  hats  to  Mary,  a  degree  of  reverence  that 
they  showed  no  one  else,  except,  perhaps,  young  Father 
Dawson;  and  Goose  passed  on,  confident  that  their 
uproar  for  that  night,  at  least,  was  done. 

And  so  it  went  through  all  the  neighbourhood;  in 
every  court  and  alley  the  news  was  known;  in 
every  kitchen  and  On  every  street  corner  it  was 
talked  of. 

Mike  McCarty  heard  it  while  stripping  tHe  Harness 
from  his  horses'  backs  in  Shannon's  stables;  Tim 
Burns  was  told  of  it  while  still  on  his  way  from  work ; 


164  THE  RAGGED  EDGE 

and  it  was  the  first  thing  that  fell  upon  the  ears  of 
Danny  Casey  as  he  entered  his  mother's  house. 

"  Mary's  dyin',"  trembled  upon  every  lip  that  had 
smiled  in  answer  to  her  kindness;  and  as  the  night 
grew  old,  a  hush  seemed  to  fall  over  the  district;  the 
very  moon,  as  it  sailed  across  the  sky,  attended  by 
myriads  of  stars,  seemed  to  blink  solemnly  down,  and 
ponder  sadly. 

Yes,  the  serene,  white  soul  was  passing ;  the  shadow 
of  the  death  angel's  wings  had  fallen  across  the  bed 
where  Mary  lay.  Larry  sat  near  the  window,  his  arm 
thrown  along  the  back  of  the  chair,  his  forehead  rest 
ing  upon  it ;  Rosie,  the  only  other  person  in  the  room, 
wiped  the  death  damp  from  the  pale  brow,  her  eyes 
bright  with  tears. 

"  Don't  take  it  so  hard,  Larry,"  whispered  the  sick 
girl.  "  It  had  to  come,  you  know,  and  you'll  be  happy, 
afterward." 

Happy!  With  a  return  of  the  old  bare  life — the 
rough,  purposeless  life  that  she  had  made  bloom  with 
new  thoughts?  He  would  drift  back  to  the  old  con 
ditions;  there  would  be  nothing  to  keep  him  from  it 


THE  RAGGED  EDGE  165 

when  her  gentle  influence  had  relaxed.  And  that 
"  afterward  "  of  which  she  spoke  so  often,  and  so 
hopefully!  It  would  be  black  and  barren  enough,  his 
heart  whispered  to  him — she  would  be  where  her  voice 
could  not  reach  him  and  he  would  be  alone  with  his 
sorrow. 

A  picture  of  the  crucifixion  hung  upon  the  wall;  a 
slanting  ray  from  the  dim  light  brought  out  the  world's 
great  tragedy  with  piteous  distinctness.  But  the 
lesson  brought  no  consolation  to  Larry.  He  looked  at 
the  picture  with  vacant  eyes,  for  his  brain  was  numb, 
and  he  could  think  of  nothing  but  his  impending  loss. 
Philosophy  is  a  meaningless  word  to  such  as  he;  for 
they  who  grapple  with-  poverty,  and  go  wrestling 
through  a  gloom  from  birth  to  death,  find  it  hard  to 
submit. 

"  Are  you  crying,  Rosie  ?  "  asked  the  weak  voice. 
"  Don't,  dear ;  you  promised  not  to,  you  know." 

Rosie's  face  rested  upon  the  pillow  beside  her,  and 
Mary  stroked  the  tear-wet  cheek,  softly. 

"  I'm  sorry  that  I  didn't  see  it  long  ago,"  said  she, 
sadly;  "sorry  for  you,  and  Larry.  But  it  won't  be 


i66  THE  RAGGED  EDGE 

long  now,  and  you  both  will  be  very  happy.*'  Her 
voice  trembled  a  little  but  she  continued,  bravely: 
"  Promise  me  that  you  will  think  of  me  sometimes, 
Rosie." 

"  I'll  never  forget  you,  Mary,"  sobbed  the  girl. 

"  And  don't  let  Larry  forget  me,  either,"  eagerly. 
"  And  try  and  be  a  good  wife  to  him,  Rosie." 

Both  Rosie  and  the  young  man  lifted  their  heads 
quickly  and  looked  at  each  other,  searchingly. 

From  far  down  the  street  came  a  faint,  musical 
drone  as  of  minor  voices  singing;  the  bell  of  St. 
Michael's  boomed  the  hour  solemnly;  quick  footsteps 
went  by  the  house,  grew  faint  and  then  died  away. 

"  Do  you  think,"  Rosie's  voice  trembled  in  dread, 
"that  she's  dyin',  Larry?" 

He  had  approached  the  bed  and  was  looking  down 
at  the  pale  face  framed  in  the  dark,  loose  hair.  She 
smiled  up  into  his  eyes. 

"  She  will  be  good  to  you,  Larry ;  she  has  a  kind 
heart  and  will  be  a  better  wife  to  you  than  I  could 
have  been." 

"Mary!" 


THE  RAGGED  EDGE  167 

"  You  were  kind  to  me  when  I  was  left  alone,  Larry ; 
you  would  have  married  me  because  you  felt  sorry  for 
me.  But  you'll  be  free  now;  and  I  have  prayed  that 
she'll  be  as  happy  as  I  was — before  I  knew !  " 

"  Don't  talk  like  that,  Mary !  It  was  you  that  was 
sorry  for  me!  It  was  you — "  but  his  voice  broke  in 
a  dry  sob. 

"  Hush !  "  a  pleading  look  crept  into  her  eyes.  "  Don't 
let  anything  stand  in  the  way  of  your  happiness, 
Larry;  don't  let  any  thoughts  of  me — any  regrets — 
keep  you  apart.  Promise  me  that !  " 

He  knelt  and  covered  his  face  with  his  hands,  the 
deep,  hard  sobs  racking  him  from  head  to  foot;  and 
as  he  made  no  answer,  Mary  turned  her  eyes  upon 
Rosie. 

"  You  will  promise,  I  know,"  said  she. 

"  Oh,  Mary,  Mary  I  can't !    Please  don't  ask  me !  " 

But  seeing  the  look  of  sorrow  that  crept  into  the 
death-dulled  eyes,  she  added  frantically — despairingly, 
thinking  of  nothing  save  the  soothing  of  her  friend. 

"  Yes,  yes,  Mary,  I  will !  If  it'll  give  ye  peace,  I'll 
promise." 


i68  THE  RAGGED  EDGE 

The  clock  ticked  on  through  the  hours;  the  breath 
ing  of  the  man  and  girl  was  long  and  heavy,  and  their 
eyes  were  blood-shot  with  watching.  And  when  dawn 
drew  aside  the  sky's  black  draperies,  the  gray  light 
stole  into  the  room  and  lighted  up  a  face  that  was 
calm  and  still. 


Chapter  XVII 


"  The  weird  sisters  hand  in  hand." 

MACBETH,  ACT  I ;  SCENE  III. 

7T'S  an  ill  wind  that  blows  nobody  good,"  mut 
tered  Malachi  O'Hara,  as  he  stood  looking 
through  his  store  window,  his    eyes    resting 
upon    Goose    McGonagle    who   had   just    drawn   his 
wagon   up   at   the   curb.     "  She's   the  lucky  girl,  so 
she  is." 

Goose  swung  himself  from  the  step  of  the  wagon, 
a  milk-pail  in  his  hand.  Filling  the  pitcher,  resting 
for  the  purpose  upon  the  counter,  Goose  addressed 
O'Hara. 

"  I'm  sorry,"  said  he,  "  that  election  comes  off  so 
soon  after  Mary  Carroll's  funeral.  Larry  ain't  feelin' 
fit  for  a  bruisin'  fight,  yet." 

"  I've  heard,"  said  O'Hara,  "  that  yez  are  both  goin' 
on  the  ticket  at  the  primaries." 

169 


170  THE  RAGGED  EDGE 

"  It's  a  gift !  We'll  go  t'rough  to  beat  the  band,  for 
both  division's  is  behind  us,  solid." 

"Ye'll  get  it  if  yez  are  for  James  Kelly.  It's  a 
walk  over  he'll  have,  I'm  told." 

"  Rats !  We  go  to  the  convention  and  we  don't 
carry  no  banner  for  Kelly,  either,  see?  And  if  he 
t'inks  he's  got  this  t'ing  cinched  he's  sold.  The  boss 
is  with  him  this  time,  but  then,  McQuirk  ain't  the  on'y 
fish  in  the  swim.  Gartenheim  kin  have  the  nomination 
if  he  wants  it,  in  spite  o'  him ;  and  then  there's  O'Con 
nor;  he  wouldn't  shake  Kelly's  fin  if  it  was  made  out 
o'  gold." 

"  Sure  thim  two  won't  go  afore  the  convintion  I  It's 
inside  information  I  have,  from  Moran." 

"  Moran  misses  it  more  times  than  any  guy  I  know, 
but  he's  put  ye  next  to  the  right  graft  this  time. 
Gartenheim  an'  O'Connor  both  blowed  in  a  bunch  o' 
money  last  'lection,  an'  they've  sort  o'  got  it  into  their 
heads  that  they  can't  stand  for  any  more.  If  Garten- 
heim's  named  he  could  not  win  out  unless  O'Connor 
turned  in  for  him,  see?  An'  youse  kin  stake  yer  coin 
on  it,  that  O'Connor  ain't  a-doin'  that — he  don't  for 
get  so  easy." 


THE  RAGGED  EDGE  171 

"  Faith  an'  that's  jist  what  the  Judge  told  me,  an' 
he  says,  says  he,  '  They'll  pick  Kelly  in  the  end,  never 
fear,'  says  he." 

"  Ah,  we  ain't  losin'  any  sleep  worryin'  about  old 
Kelly  scoopin'  the  pot.  The  gang's  got  their  coats 
off  an'  say  we've  got  a  graft  to  throw  into  the  fight 
that'll  make  him  look  like  t'irty-seven  cents.  Look 
out  for  the  papers  the  day  after." 

After  McGonagle  had  gone,  O'Hara  walked  back 
into  the  kitchen  where  his  sisters  were  crouched  be 
hind  the  range. 

"  Where's  Rosie  ?  "  asked  he,  glancing  about  the 
room. 

"  She's  above  stairs,"  answered  Ellen,  "  an'  cryin' 
the  two  eyes  out  av  her  head !  " 

"And  for  why?" 

"  Troth,  Malachi,  it's  well  enough  ye  shud  know, 
avic.  I  niver,  since  Gawd  made  me,  see  any  wan 
stand  so  in  their  own  loight  as  she." 

He  wrinkled  his  brows,  his  round  little  eyes  snap 
ping  angrily.  Going  to  the  stairs  he  called:  "  Rosie  I 
D'yez  hear  me?  Come  down  here,  this  minyute! " 

"  Talk  till  her,  Malachi,"  urged  Ellen. 


172  THE  RAGGED  EDGE 

"  Show  yez  authority,"  approved  Bridget ;  "  are  ye 
not  her  father,  faith !  " 

Rosie  descended  into  the  kitchen,  slowly;  her  face 
was  flushed,  her  eyes  were  red  and  swollen. 

"  Will  ye  tell  me  the  manin'  av  this  ?  "  demanded 
her  father.  She  sat  down,  not  answering;  and  he 
continued :  "  Yez  hav  bin  cryin'  agin !  Will  yez  not 
give  over?  " 

"  I  can't  help  it,"  said  the  girl.  "  You're  all  against 
me  and  I  can't  help  it." 

"  Is  it  thinkin'  av  young  Larkin  yez  are !  "  exclaimed 
Ellen.  "  Shame  on  ye,  Rosie !  " 

"  Wud  yez  hav  a  black  sin  on  yez  sowl  ? "  cried 
Bridget.  "  An'  wud  ye  break  yez  promis  till  the  dead? 
Glory  be!  Bud  the  young  wans  now-a-days  t'ink 
nawthin'  av  the  hereafter." 

"  I  can't  marry  Larry,"  sobbed  Rosie,  "  I  don't  like 
him — not  that  way.  And  then  I've  promised 
Jimmie ! " 

"  Powers  above !  "  gasped  Bridget. 

"  The  son  av  a  '  Know  Nawthin','  cried  Ellen  in 
horror.  "  Did  yez  iver  witness  the  bate  av  that  ?  " 

"  Hold  yez  tongues !  "  snapped  their  brother,  "  sure 


THE  RAGGED  EDGE  173 

a  body  can't  git  in  a  word  edgeways  for  yez  cacklin'. 
Listen  till  me,  Rosie;  did  ye  not  promise  Mary,  an' 
she  a-dyin',  that  yez  wud  be  Larry's  wife?  Answer 
me  that." 

"  I  didn't  know  what  I  was  a-sayin',"  protested 
Rosie ;  "  I  was  so  took  back  and  frightened !  " 

"  Divil  a  bit  do  that  alter  the  case !  Ye  promised, 
an'  it  howlds  good  in  the  soight  av  God !  " 

"  An'  the  blessed  can'ls  burnin'  in  the  room !  "  cried 
Ellen. 

"  An'  she  jist  after  bein'  anointed ! "  added 
Bridget. 

"  Will  yez  howld  yes  whist !  "  exclaimed  O'Hara, 
enraged.  "  Faix,  yez  tongues  do  be  goin'  from  Mon 
day  mornin'  till  Saturday  noight,  an'  divil  raysave  the 
voice  kin  be  heerd  bud  yez  own ! " 

"  She's  yez  own  choild,  Malachi,"  admitted  Ellen, 
as  though  to  wash  her  hands  of  the  whole  affair. 

"  Talk  till  her,  an'  good  luck ! "  muttered  her  sister - 

"  I  will  iv  yez  giv  me  a  chance."  And  O'Hara  once 
more  turned  to  his  sobbing  daughter  and  proceeded 
with  his  arguments. 

Rosie  had  been  an  infant  when  her  mother  died, 


174  THE  RAGGED  EDGE 

and  she  had  been  reared  by  her  two  aunts  in  an  atmos 
phere  loaded  with  superstition  and  reeking  of  omens 
of  good  and  ill.  If  the  wind  but  stirred  of  a  night 
among  the  house  tops,  Ellen  detected  the  wail  of  a 
banshee,  and  if  a  lonely  dog  howled  at  the  moon, 
Bridget,  in  hushed  tones,  announced  the  presence  of 
death  in  the  street.  They  crowded  the  corners  of 
dimly  lit  rooms  with  the  shadows  of  those  departed, 
and  the  very  teachings  of  religion  were  so  distorted 
as  to  be  made  to  supply  exorcisms  against  agencies  of 
evil  and  tokens  calculated  to  render  powerless  their 
incantations.  The  girl  was  saturated  with  this;  from 
her  childhood  she  had  drawn  it  in  with  every  breath; 
and  it  was  taught  to  her  as  an  article  of  faith,  to  dis 
believe  which  was  to  imperil  her  salvation.  The  father 
was  well  aware  of  this.  He  was  far  too  practical  to 
give  heed  to  such  things  himself,  but  he  was  willing 
enough  that  they  should  help  him  finger  some  of  old 
Larry's  hoarded  dollars. 

So,  like  the  crafty  old  fox  that  he  was,  he  conjured 
up  dreadful  pictures  of  the  fate  that  awaited  her 
should  she  break  her  promise.  The  girl  listened, 
terrified. 


THE  RAGGED  EDGE  175 

"  Glory  be !  That  ye  shud  even  t'ink  av  sich  a 
t'ing !  "  cried  her  father  in  conclusion.  "  Don't  ye 
know  that  Mary  do  be  harknin'  till  yez  ?  " 

"  She  hears  ivery  wurd  ye  say,"  put  in  Bridget,  un 
able  to  hold  her  peace. 

"  No ! "  said  the  poor  girl,  her  face  growing  pale, 
"  don't  say  that,  Aunt  Ellen !  " 

"  Don't  deny  it,  girl !  "  exclaimed  her  father  seiz 
ing  quickly  upon  the  suggestion,  "  for  divil  the  lie's  in 
it.  She'll  go  moanin'  about  iver  God's  blessed  night 
wringin'  her  two  han's  an'  cryin'  the  heart  out  av 
her !  Scure  till  the  bit  av  pace  she'll  see  till  yez  word's 
made  good." 

"  Wud  yez  hav  us  visited  by  her  ? "  demanded 
Bridget. 

At  this  Ellen  began  a  muttering;  Bridget  took  it 
up,  and  Rosie  stared  at  them,  the  fear  in  her  heart 
showing  in  her  wide-open  eyes. 

That  night  Malachi  O'Hara  waited  upon  his  cus 
tomers  with  looks  of  great  satisfaction;  and  in  the 
little  room  above  the  store,  Rosie  cried  herself  to  sleep 
thinking  of  the  letter  she  had  sent  Jimmie  Larkin. 


Chapter  XVIII 


"  I  kape  a  saloon  on  the  corner,  me  boys, 

'An'  faith  I've  a  fiourishin'  trade, 
I  bought  out  me  cousin,  Nathaniel  Doyle, 

The  money  on  whisky  I  made, 
I  could  sell  to  youse  now  a  nice  pusse  caffey, 

Or  a  Rhino-Victoria  cigar; 
No  slate,  chalk  or  pencil  is  kept  in  the  house, 

Whin  Malone's  at  the  back  av  the  bar." 

HARRIGAN. 

rHE   big   gilt   sign   over   Kelly's   saloon   on 
Girard    Avenue    was    all    a-glitter    with 
morning  sunlight;  a  crowd  of  hangers-on 
leaned    against    the    awning-frame,    watching    with 
admiration    the    ease    with    which    a  powerful    Ger 
man,  in  a  leather  apron,  lifted  huge  kegs  in  and  out 
of  a  brewer's  wagon. 

Within,  James  Kelly  stood  behind  the  bar  polishing 
thin  glasses,  and  frowning  vexedly;  a  group  of  cus 
tomers  sat  at  a  table  drinking  and  watching  the  deft 

176 


THE  RAGGED  EDGE  177 

fingers  of  Nobby  Foley  guide  a  pencil  along  a  narrow 
strip  of  paper. 

"  What  are  youse  buyin'  to-day,  Daily  ? "  inquired 
Foley. 

"  I'm  a  sucker  for  buyin'  anyt'ing ; "  complained 
Daily.  He  wore  hob-nailed  shoes  and  clothing  covered 
with  burnt  spots  which  showed  him  to  be  an  iron 
worker.  He  took  some  loose  silver  from  his  pocket 
and  selected  a  quarter.  "  Gimme  that  much,"  said 
he,  "  o'  whatever  ye  t'ink's  hot." 

"  I'm  buyin'  the  police  row  meself,"  said  the  policy- 
writer. 

"  That'll  do,"  said  Daily.  "  It's  just  the  same;  like 
t'rowin'  good  money  in  the  street." 

"Two's  a  half?"  inquired  the  other,  glancing  up. 

"  Not  on  yer  life !  If  I  strike  the  game  I'll  hit  it 
big,  see  ?  Good  and  hard !  No  gittin'  the  small  end, 
tryin'  to  save  me  play." 

"  It's  your  say.  Whistle  yer  own  piece,  me  boy,  if 
youse  t'ink  it'll  do  ye  any  good."  The  "  writer " 
looked  around  at  the  array  of  half  empty  glasses  and 
added,  "  drink  yer  beer,  gents ;  well  have  another." 

Kelly  glanced  at  the  clock  over  the  bar.    His  frown 


178  THE  RAGGED  EDGE 

grew  heavier;  and  opening  the  door  leading  to  the 
dwelling  portion  of  the  house,  he  cried : 

"  Is  not  Martin  had  breakfast  yet." 

"  I  can't  swallow  me  feed  whole,"  came  Martin's 
voice  angrily.  "  Shut  up,  will  youse !  " 

Kelly  closed  the  door  with  a  bang.  "  Damn  the  bit 
av  good  he  is  till  me,"  growled  he,  recommencing 
upon  the  glasses. 

"Beers,  Kel,"  called  Foley.  "What's  the  matter, 
old  boy.  Youse  look  mad." 

"  Little  wonder,"  answered  Kelly,  drawing  the  beer 
and  carrying  it  to  where  his  customers  sat.  "  Here 
I  have  McQuirk  an'  young  Haley  till  meet  at  the  City 
Hall  at  noine  be  the  day ;  it's  but  a  few  minutes  av  it 
now,  an'  divil  take  the  wan  I  have  till  tind  bar." 

"  I  heerd,"  said  one  of  the  men,  addressing  the 
policy  man,  "that  Levitsky's  place  was  pinched  last 
night." 

"  That's  right.  He  had  some  words  with  the  lieu 
tenant,  and  the  loot  sent  a  wagon  down  there  t'cut 
even,  see  ?  But,  say,  he's  out  an'  wide  open  for  biz  this 
mornin',  because  McQuirk  got  him  out  as  soon  as  he 
Heard  about  it.  Youse  can't  queer  the  push !  " 


THE  RAGGED  EDGE  179 

O'Hara  came  in  through  a  side  door ;  his  face  wore 
a  fat  smile,  as  he  walked  to  the  bar. 

"  Good  mornin',  James,"  saluted  he. 

"  How  are  yez,  Malachi  ? "  returned  the  saloon 
keeper,  "  is  it  yez  mornin's  mornin'  ye'd  be  after?  " 

"  Divil  a  ilce !  Give  me  a  sup  out  av  the  brown 
bottle,  an'  a  troifle  o'  porter  on  the  soide." 

"  I  suppose,"  remarked  old  Kelly  as  the  drink  was 
tossed  off  and  rung  up  on  the  cash  register,  "that 
ye'll  give  me  a  lift  at  the  primaries  next  wake." 

"  Sure,  James,  I'll  strive  till  be  neighbourly ;  an'  if 
me  vote'll  do  yez  any  good,  faith,  yez  shall  have  it." 

"  Ivery  wan  counts.  I'm  sure  till  be  nominated,  for 
the  boss  is  wid  me;  but  we  want  all  the  votes  we  kin 
get  in  yez  division,  for  the  young  bla'gards  are  makin' 
a  foight  agin  me,  I  hear." 

"  True  for  ye,  boy !  I  wur  talkin'  till  young  Mc- 
Gonagle  yesterday,  an'  it's  on  the  ticket  he'll  be,  agin 
ye,  Kelly." 

"  D'yez  tell  me  so !  Faix,  he's  soured  on  me  be 
cause  I  wouldn't  take  me  milk  from  him,  I  think.  But 
we'll  bate  him,  never  fear.  McQuirk  an'  mesilf  have 
bin  among  Murphy's  frinds  an'  we'll  see  till  him,  the 


i8o  THE  RAGGED  EDGE 

spalpeen.  McQuirk  have  got  the  most  av  thim  jobs, 
an'  they  can't  go  back  on  him,  faith !  " 

"  Good  luck  till  yez,  sure.  I  hope  yez'll  have  as 
much  av  it  as  mesilf." 

"  Ho !  Ho !  Faith  an'  I  thought  yez  wur  in  good 
timper  this  mornin'.  What's  happened  to  yez, 
O'Hara?" 

"  Nawthin'  till  me,  sure.  Bud  Rosie's  till  marry 
young  Murphy;  an'  the  money'll  be  a  foine  t'ing — 
for  her." 

Kelly  stared  at  him  in  dumb  astonishment,  O'Hara 
returned  the  look  with  great  good  humour. 

"  Be  the  powers  av  Moll  Kelly ! "  ejaculated  the 
saloonkeeper,  "  but  that  bates  all,  yet !  An'  is  it  so 
soon  after  Mary's  berryin'  ?  " 

"  Oh,  they'll  wait  a  bit ;  it's  no  hurry  they're  in." 

The  side  door  swung  open,  admitting  Mrs. 
Nolan,  in  a  greasy  wrapper,  her  face  puffy  with 
drink. 

"  Good  mornin'  till  yez  gintlemen,"  to  the  nodding, 
grinning  group  at  the  table.  "  It's  takin'  Willie 
a-walkin'  I  am,  this  foine  mornin'."  As  she  spoke, 
Mrs.  Nolan  flourished  a  kettle  in  the  air  and  then 


THE  RAGGED  EDGE  181 

banged  it  down  upon  the  bar.  "  Tin  cints  worth  av 
mixed,"  requested  she. 

Kelly  jerked  the  can  under  the  spigot  with  profes 
sional  dexterity  and  watched  it,  pondering. 

"  I'll  be  goin',  James,"  said  O'Hara. 

"  Stop  an'  have  a  sup  on  the  house." 

"  Another  toime.  Faith,  me  business'ed  suffer  from 
two  drinks  av  yez  whisky." 

The  second-hand  man  departed  and  Kelly  slid  the 
filled  can  along  the  bar,  the  froth  creaming  down  its 
sides. 

"  I've  had  a  surprise,  Mrs.  Nolan,"  said  he. 

"  Small  blame  till  yez,  Kelly ;  arrah,  it's  all  the  news 
yez  hear  as  ye  stan'  behind  yez  bar,  so  yez  do !  " 

"  It  will  surprise  ye,  mam,"  spoke  Kelly  solemnly. 
"  Rosie  O'Hara  is  till  take  up  wid  Larry !  " 

"  Is  it  marry  him !  " 

"  Divil  a  ike !  Her  father  is  jist  after  tellin'  me 
av  it." 

"  Maybe  she's  compelled  till,  faith !  " 

"Eh!" 

"  Faix,  an'  the  talk  wint  round  about  thim,  long 
since,  James.  It's  sorry  I'd  be  iv  it  wur  true." 


1 82  THE  RAGGED  EDGE 

"  God  bless  uz,  Mrs.  Nolan !  An'  d'yez  tell  me 
this?" 

"  I'm  not  sayin'  it's  true,  moind  ye.  An'  did  yez 
not  hear  av  it  ?  " 

"  Sorra  the  word !  " 

"  What  will  young  Larkin  do  now,  at  all,  at  all. 
He  wur  woild  after  her  afore  he  wint  away." 

"  So  he  wur,  Mrs.  Nolan,"  agreed  Kelly,  a  change 
suddenly  creeping  into  his  face ;  "  so  he  wur,  mam." 

"  Glory  be !  What'll  he  do  whin  he  hears  av  this  ? 
He's  got  the  divil  in  'im  whin  his  timper's  up,  so  he 
have." 

"  But  he's  a  frind  av  Larry's." 

"  It's  on'y  worse  that'ed  make  it." 

After  Mrs.  Nolan  had  gone,  Kelly  wiped  the  little 
puddles  from  the  bar  and  ruminated. 

"  He  have  the  divil  in  him,"  muttered  he.  "  Did  I 
not  see  him,  in  this  barroom,  knock  the  padding  out 
av  t'ree  av'  the  '  Chain  Gang '  for  callin'  his  father  an 
Orange  bastard." 

The  men  at  the  table  were  shoving  back  their  chairs 
as  thougfi  about  to  go. 


THE  RAGGED  EDGE  183 

"  Foley,"  said  the  saloonkeeper,  "  stop  a  bit  an'  give 
an  eye  till  the  bar ;  I  want  till  spake  till  Martin.  Call 
me  iv  any  wan  comes  in." 

"All  right,"  said  Foley.    "  On'y  hurry  up." 

Martin  had  a  great,  half  raw  beefsteak  before  him 
from  which  he  was  hacking  bleeding  strips;  a 
newspaper  was  propped  against  the  salt  cruet  and 
as  he  ate  Martin  read  the  doings  of  the  sporting 
world. 

"  Arrah,  don't  be  botherin'  him !  "  cried  Mrs.  Kelly, 
as  her  husband  entered.  "  Lave  him  ate  his  bit  av 
breakfast  in  pace.  Will  ye  have  another  cup  av  coffee, 
Martin?" 

Martin  pushed  his  cup  toward  her,  over  the  stained 
table-cloth,  in  silence;  his  father  sat  down  and 
watched  him  as  he  split  a  bake-house  biscuit  and  cov 
ered  it  with  butter,  and  then  resumed  his  attack  upon 
the  gory  steak. 

"  I  want  till  tell  ye  something  Martin,"  said  the 
father.  "  No  hurry  for  Foley's  in  the  barroom." 

"  Foley ! "  exclaimed  Mrs.  Kelly.  Martin  only 
stared. 


1 84  THE  RAGGED  EDGE 

"  The  cash  register'll  ring  if  he  meddles  wid  it," 
grinned  the  saloonkeeper.  "  Never  fear  av  Foley." 

"  Divil  mend  ye  if  yez  are  robbed  av  ivery  God's 
blissid  cint  ye  have,  some  day !  "  cried  Mrs.  Kelly, 
putting  the  steaming  coffee  before  her  son.  "  I'll  go 
out  till  him.  Sure,  I  wouldn't  trust  that  felly  wid  the 
value  av  a  glass  av  porter ! " 

She  whisked  hurriedly  into  the  barroom,  leaving 
father  and  son  together. 

"  Good  riddance,"  said  her  husband — "  yez  mother 
talks  too  much  at  toimes,  Martin ;  an'  I  want  till  spake 
till  ye  privately." 

"  Gee !  "  exclaimed  the  son,  surprised ;  "  what's  the 
caper,  eh?" 

Kelly  spoke  for  a  long  time  leaning  across  the  table ; 
Martin  listened,  his  knife  and  fork  constantly  at  work. 

"  Iv  we  knowed  where  Jimmie  wur,"  said  Kelly, 
"we  cud  lave  him  know  av  this  dirty  pace  av  wurk. 
Murphy  is  no  frind  av  his'n  nor  moine  aither !  " 

"  Larkin's  easy  found,"  said  Martin.  "  He's  got  a 
match  on  at  the  Crib  Qub  in  Boston  for  nixt  Monday 
night,  and  he's  trainin'  at  a  road-house  just  outside 


THE  RAGGED  EDGE  185 

of  the  city.    I  kin  git  the  address  from  somebody  and 
we'll  write  him,  eh  ?  " 

"  We  will,  Martin !  Go  out  an'  git  a  two  cint  stamp 
at  Mullen's  drug  store  an'  a  sheet  av  paper,  an'  an 
invelope,  as  soon  as  yez  are  done  atin'.  It's  our  juty 
till  tell  Larkin  av  this,  an'  we  must  do  it." 


Chapter  XIX 


"  Dull  rogues  affect  the  politician's  part, 

And  learn  to  nod,  and  smile,  and  shrug  with  art." 

CONGREVE. 

/T  was  the  evening  of  the  primaries  and  the  op 
posing  factions  were  lined  up  for  the  battle 
that  would  decide  who  was  to  be  the  party's 
standard-bearer  within  the  limits  of  the  ward.     The 
workers    had    made    a    door-to-door    canvass,    plead 
ing  eloquently  with  some,  making  a  vague  statement 
of  principles  to  others,  hinting  at  "  prospective  jobs  " 
to  more.    A  great  deal  depended  upon  the  person,  and 
the  heelers  were  supposed  to  have  the  voters  in  their 
precincts  gauged  to  a  nicety. 

Tim  Burns  was  eating  his  supper  of  potatoes  and 
eggs  at  the  kitchen  table,  together  with  his  wife  and 
two  children,  when  a  knock  came  upon  the  door. 
"  Come  in,"  called  Tim. 
1 86 


THE  RAGGED  EDGE  187 

It  was  Gratten  Haley,  candidate  for  school  director 
and — McQuirk ! 

"Hello  Tim,"  greeted  Haley,  cheerily,  "  feedin' 
your  face  ?  " 

"  God  bless  uz  an'  save  us,  Mr.  McQuirk,"  ejacu 
lated  Mrs.  Burns,  confused  at  the  sight  of  the  ward's 
great  man.  "  Here  Xavier,  git  down  wid  yez  at  wanst, 
an'  give  the  gintleman  yez  sate." 

She  dumped  her  eldest  son  unceremoniously  from 
his  chair  and  dusted  it  with  her  apron.  But  McQuirk 
re-seated  the  boy  and  shoved  the  chair  back  to  the 
table. 

"  Pitch  in,  son,"  advised  he,  heartily.  He  speared 
an  egg  with  a  fork  and  placed  it  on  the  child's  plate. 
"  Go  to  work,"  said  he.  He  rumpled  the  youngster's 
hair  and  turned  to  Mrs.  Burns.  "  This  must  be  a  fast 
day,"  remarked  he. 

"  There's  two  this  week,  so  they  give  out  from  the 
altar  on  Sunday,"  answered  Mrs.  Burns ;  "  an'  a  body's 
lost  widout  the  bit  av  mate,  after  workin'  all  day." 

Mr.  Haley  stood  in  the  background,  near  the  range, 
pulling  slowly  at  a  fat  black  cigar,  and  gazing  at  his 
leader  admiringly.  "  For  star  plays,"  muttered  he 


188  THE  RAGGED  EDGE 

with  ecstasy,  to  himself,  "  run  me  against  McQuirk. 
He's  a  miracle !  " 

The  feminine  and  juvenile  side  of  the  house  sur 
rendered  without  firing  a  shot;  but  Tim  was  made  of 
different  stuff  and  had  a  long  memory.  He  glowered 
at  his  plate  from  under  his  brows  and  caused  buttered 
wedges  of  bread  and  saucers  of  tea  to  disappear  with 
startling  rapidity. 

"  Got  plenty  to  do,  Tim  ?  "  McQuirk  stood  with  his 
back  to  the  range  and  tugged  at  the  spike-like  points 
of  his  moustache. 

"  Lots  av  it — now! "  Tim  put  a  great  deal  of  em 
phasis  on  the  last  word  so  that  the  boss  might  not  mis 
understand. 

"  The  delegates  are  named  to-night,"  interrupted  the 
candidate  for  school  director,  hurriedly,  "  and  the  town 
will  be  jammed  with  conventions  to-morrow,  all  the 
way  from  members  o'Congress  to,"  modestly,  "  school 
director." 

"  I  know,"  said  Mr.  Burns. 

"  I  want  your  support !  "  said  McQuirk,  bluntly. 
"  There's  a  movement  to  wall  me  up  in  me  own  division 


THE  RAGGED  EDGE  189 

by  a  gang  o'  would-be  reformers;  and  I  want  all  me 
friends  to  stand  by  me." 

"  So  yez  want  me  vote  ?  "  asked  Tim,  as  he  wiped  his 
mouth  on  a  corner  of  the  table-cloth  and  pushed  back 
his  chair. 

"  Sure ;  you've  voted  with  the  party  ever  since  you 
got  out  your  papers,  an'  you're  entitled  to  a  say  in  the 
primaries." 

"  Have  a  cigar,"  invited  Haley,  as  Burns  got  up. 

"  I'll  smoke  me  poipe,"  said  Tim.  He  took  it  down 
from  a  shelf  and  knocked  out  the  "  heel "  on  the  edge 
of  the  range,  then  proceeded  to  cut  a  fresh  charge  from 
a  plug  of  "  Rough  and  Ready,"  with  his  pocket  knife. 

"  I'm  a  Dimmycrat,"  said  Tim,  "  an'  plaze  God,  I'll 
always  stay  wan." 

The  boss  beamed  approval.  "  Now  look  here,"  said 
he,  "  you  know  McAteer,  don't  you  ?  Well  this  other 
crowd  want  to  do  him  out  of  the  nomination  because 
he  sticks  like  glue  to  the  party,  see?  Old  Owen 
Dwyer's  on  the  ticket,  instructed  for  him;  so  give 
Owen  your  support,  eh?" 

"  McAteer,"  spoke  Mr.  Burns,  "  is  an  able  man,  an* 


i9o  THE  RAGGED  EDGE 

Owen  Dwyer,  is  a  daysint  wan,  an'  a  friend  av  my 
own." 

"  So  he  is ;  you're  right,  Tim !  And  then  there's 
Abrams  for  judge — Jimmie  Hurley  stands  for  him. 
Abrams  is  a  sheeney,  but  he's  all  right." 

"  I'm  agin  no  man  because  he  sticks  till  what  his 
father  wur  before  him." 

"  And  there's  Kelly  for  select — a  neighbour  of  yours ; 
and  here's  Haley  for  school  director." 

"  I  knew  yez  father,"  said  Tim  to  Haley ;  "  he  wur 
a  United  man,  an'  an  A.  O.  H.,  so  I'll  do  what  I  can 
till  give  his  son  a  boost.  But  for  James  Kelly — 
never ! "  Tim  smacked  his  hands  together  loudly. 
"  Gartenheim  gits  me  vote ;  for  he  give  me  a  job  av 
work  when  the  rist  av  yez  passed  me  by !  " 

"  Don't  let  any  o'  those  young  fellows  jolly  you, 
Tim;  for  they're  goin'  to  git  it  in  the  neck,  sure! 
Kelly's  the  man !  He's  the  only  one  that  can  hold  the 
workers,  for  he  stands  in  with  the  mayor.  He  can  git 
jobs." 

"  I've  heard  that  afore  now,"  remarked  Tim,  stub 
bornly.  McQuirk  touseled  up  the  eldest  boy's  head 
once  more  and  also  shook  hands  with  the  mother. 


THE  RAGGED  EDGE  191 

"  Gartenheim's  name  won't  be  mentioned,"  prophe 
sied  he  as  he  buttoned  up  his  light  overcoat  and  paused 
at  the  door.  "  Stand  in  with  the  party,  that's  the  thing, 
eh,  Mrs.  Burns?  The  right  kind  o'  people  never  for 
gets  who  puts  them  in  office.  Do  what's  regular,  Tim, 
that's  all  I  ask,  do  what's  regular ;  vote  to  hold  the  or 
ganization  together  and  keep  the  snide  reformers  out. 
And,  remember,  we've  got  a  congressman  to  elect,  the 
only  one  o'  the  right  stripe  in  the  city."  He  opened  the 
door  and  stood  aside  while  Haley  stepped  out.  "  Good 
night,  Tim ;  I  just  thought  I'd  drop  in  and  talk  to  you 
about  the  thing.  No  harm  done  ?  " 

"  Not  a  bit,"  answered  Mr.  Burns,  "  Good  night." 

And  so  it  went  from  house  to  house,  from  alley  to 
alley,  from  division  to  division  through  the  ward. 
McQuirk  did  not  trust  himself  in  the  hands  of  his 
workers ;  he  saw  the  voters  in  person,  raised  the  stand 
ard  and  appealed  to  the  partisanship  that  is  born  in 
every  man ;  and  so  if  there  was  glory  to  be  gained,  he 
was  the  gainer ;  if  there  was  a  harvest  of  defeat  to  reap, 
it  was  not  because  of  lack  of  personal  attention  on  his 
part. 

Politics  had  been  McQuirk's  study  for  years,  and  he 


i92  THE  RAGGED  EDGE 

had  been  an  apt  scholar.  He  knew  nothing  of  the  pro 
fundity  of  statesmanship,  and  cared  less ;  he  had  never 
made  a  speech  upon  his  feet,  and  could  not  had  his 
life  depended  upon  it.  But  what  he  did  not  know  of 
practical  politics,  as  his  friend  Moran  was  in  the  habit 
of  saying,  was  not  worth  knowing.  He  possessed  a 
genius  for  organization;  in  getting  out  the  full  vote 
he  was  unexcelled,  and  he  dominated  the  freemen  of 
his  district  by  one  of  three  things :  Favour — the  ex 
pectation  of  favour — the  fear  of  disfavour. 

There  were  people  in  the  ward  that  had  known  him 
when  he  was  a  dump-cart  driver,  and  others  who  re 
membered  a  later  period  when  his  only  visible  means 
of  support  was  Sunday  poker-playing  in  the  parlours 
of  social  clubs.  Then  he  became  a  political  hanger-on ; 
he  fetched  and  carried  for  the  powers  that  were  and  by 
his  astuteness  gained  their  favour.  Little  by  little  he 
rose  in  power,  and  at  length,  was  sent,  under  orders, 
to  represent  his  division  in  the  ward  committee.  From 
that  time  he  grew  visibly;  his  name  began  to  appear 
in  the  political  columns  of  the  Sunday  papers  and  he 
took  to  wearing  a  silk  hat.  Then  came  the  revolt  of  a 
clique  of  workers  that  presaged  disaster  to  the  ward 


THE  RAGGED  EDGE  193 

machine ;  McQuirk  saw  his  opportunity,  threw  himself 
at  the  head  of  the  insurgents  and  in  a  desperate  battle 
of  the  ballots,  came  off  victorious.  His  old  benefac 
tors  were  driven  to  the  wall  and  ruthlessly  knifed, 
and  McQuirk  stood  at  the  head  of  the  committee  in 
the  pivotal  ward  of  the  district. 

With  a  solid  phalanx  of  admirers  and  a  chain  of 
supporting  social  clubs  behind  him,  he  soon  made  him 
self  manifest;  controlling  the  most  powerful  sub 
division  of  the  organization,  he  held  the  balance  of 
power  and  was  courted  and  feared.  He  walked  into 
his  first  ward  convention  with  his  breast  pocket  stuffed 
with  proxies  and  dictated  the  nomination  of  his  bitter 
est  foe ;  then  he  threw  his  strength,  in  secret,  with  an 
independent  movement  and  buried  the  said  foe  under 
an  avalanche  of  ballots  that  effectually  stripped  him  of 
his  dangerous  qualities.  As  Mr.  Haley  had  remarked, 
McQuirk  was  a  miracle. 

James  Kelly  was  sweating  blood  and  spending 
money,  provided  by  the  Motor  Traction  Company,  right 
and  left,  to  accomplish  his  nomination.  The  back 
room  of  his  saloon,  turned  into  a  campaign  head 
quarters,  had  for  weeks  been  a  vortex  of  activity.  The 


i94  THE  RAGGED  EDGE 

air  was  never  clear  of  cigar  smoke,  or  the  table  of  beer 
bottles.  Kelly,  aided  by  that  rising  young  politician, 
Gratten  Haley,  Nobby  Foley  and  his  son,  had  can 
vassed  the  ward  from  end  to  end.  This  did  him  some 
good;  but  vastly  greater  than  their  combined  exer 
tions  was  the  fact  that  the  boss  favoured  him — that  he 
was  the  choice  of  the  machine. 

"  That  mocaraw,"  said  McQuirk,  on  Tuesday  morn 
ing  as  he  stood  in  Moran's  "  court,"  "  has  queered  the 
whole  shooting  match !  He'll  have  every  voter  out  to 
night,  either  for  him  or  against  him,  and  that'll  bring 
our  other  people  into  the  fight." 

"  He  ain't  got  no  gumption,"  remarked  the  magis 
trate  tipping  himself  back  in  his  office  chair,  and  loos 
ening  the  foil  covering  of  a  paper  of  fine  cut.  "  The 
old  way's  the  best.  Keep  quiet  and  on  the  night  of  the 
primaries  half  of  them  will  forget  it,  and  the  other  half 
won't  bother  their  heads.  Enough  picked  people  to 
elect  each  delegate  is  all  we  want;  when  the  whole 
crowd  starts  to  chip  in,  it  keeps  you  guessing." 

"  That's  what !  It's  time  enough  to  make  a  hurrah 
and  shoot  off  the  skyrockets  when  the  convention's  over 
and  your  slate's  all  to  the  good;  you're  fresh  for  the 


THE  RAGGED  EDGE  195 

fight,  then ;  but  when  there's  a  preliminary  about  who'll 
carry  the  flag,  it  makes  hard  feelings ;  and  a  man  who 
would  turn  out  with  the  gang,  with  a  torch  dropping 
grease  down  his  back,  in  the  first  place,  wouldn't  show 
up  in  the  second  even  if  you  promised  to  put  him  under 
a  plug  hat  and  on  top  of  a  horse  ahead  of  the  band." 

Moran  nodded  his  approval  of  this  piece  of.  political 
sagacity;  McQuirk  buttoned  up  his  coat. 

"  I've  fixed  it,"  said  the  latter,  "  so  that  if  anybody's 
pinched  they'll  be  run  over  here  in  the  wagon.  Be 
sure  you  have  somebody  to  bail  them  out  if  you  can't 
discharge  them." 

"  That'll  be  all  right.  I'll  have  Pete  Slattery  hangin' 
around  somewhere ;  he'll  do  for  a  few  more,  yet." 

Here  the  magistrate  laughed,  but  the  boss  looked 
glum. 

"  That  young  Murphy,"  said  he,  "  is  bothering  me 
some.  I  don't  like  the  way  he  is  jumping  into  this 
thing.  He's  sore  on  Kelly,  eh  ?  " 

"  I  should  say  so !  He'd  give  him  the  knife  in  a 
minute.  Say,"  continued  Moran,  suddenly,  "ain't  you 
on  the  wrong  track,  McQuirk?  You  don't  want  to 
make  an  enemy  of  Murphy,  he's  growin'  up  and  begin- 


196  THE  RAGGED  EDGE 

ning  to  take  notice,  don't  you  know?  Keep  him  in 
line ;  one  young  one's  as  good  as  a  half  dozen  old  ones, 
and  they  do  more  and  don't  ask  as  much.  Ain't  that 
right?" 

The  boss  looked  at  his  watch,  snapped  the  case  shut, 
and  dropped  it  into  his  pocket. 

"  I'm  going  down  to  the  Precinct  Club,"  said  he. 
"  The  committee  holds  a  pow-wow  there  in  half  an 
hour,  and  I  must  make  good." 

"  But,  say,"  went  on  the  magistrate  tenaciously, 
"  what's  the  good  word,  Mac  ?  Sling  me  a  line  on  it, 
so's  I  can  put  the  boys  next.  Is  it  Kelly  or  nothin'? 
Or  is  it  Kelly  if  we  can  ?  " 

McQuirk  cleared  his  throat  and  twisted  his  ringers 
among  the  links  of  his  watch  chain.  He  was  not  re 
volving  a  decision — that  had  been  made  weeks  ago. 
He  merely  wanted  his  honour  to  draw  his  answer  more 
from  his  manner  than  his  words.  He  had  seen  politi 
cal  friendships  broken  before  now;  and  he  had  also 
seen  men's  words,  quoted  in  fat  type,  posted  upon 
fences. 

"  We'll  do  what  we  can  for  Kelly,"  said  he,  "  yes, 
we'll  do  all  we  can  for  him." 


THE  RAGGED  EDGE  197 

Moran  smiled  when  his  visitor  left,  and  caressed  his 
dyed  moustache. 

"  Just  as  foxy !  "  murmured  he.  "  It'll  be  a  slick 
member  that  ever  makes  him  slip  his  hold,  and  that's 
no  dream.  If  Murphy  draws  the  most  water  why 
Kelly  gets  entered  among  the  also  rans,  that's 
all." 

Not  many  members  of  the  Aurora  Borealis  Club  who 
had  entered  the  political  arena  against  Kelly  had  gone 
to  work  that  day.  Some  were  canvassing  their  di 
visions  for  votes  or  information,  and  others  lounged 
about  the  club  rooms,  ready  for  anything  that  might 
turn  up.  Larry  Murphy,  wearing  a  deep  black  band 
about  his  hat,  dropped  in  during  the  morning. 

"  We're  goin'  to  do  him,"  said  Larry,  after  a  long 
talk  with  his  friends.  "  If  anybody  ever  needed  a 
lickin',  it's  Mart  Kelly.  He  wants  it  bad !  " 

"  I  heard  Mary  prayed  for  in  church  on  Sunday," 
said  Jerry,  with  a  glance  at  the  mourning  band. 

"Sure,"  said  Larry.  "But  she  don't  need  it, 
though,"  he  added  reverently. 

"  If  we  all  stood  as  good  as  her,"  remarked  Mc- 
Gonagle,  "  we'd  be  all  right.  Me  mother  was  makm* 


i98  THE  RAGGED  EDGE 

a  novena  for  her  when  she  died.  She  t'ought  she'd 
get  better." 

"  Tell  her  I'm  much  obliged,"  said  Larry.  "  Your 
mother  always  liked  Mary."  After  a  pause  he  said: 
"  I'm  goin'  out  to  see  what's  doin'.  Don't  loaf,  gents, 
keep  the  t'ing  goin'." 

After  he  had  gone  McGlory  asked. 

"  Did  any  o'  youse  fella's  hear  the  new  one  ?  " 

"  Bat  it  out,"  requested  McGonagle. 

"  One  o'  Rosie  O'Hara's  aunts  was  to  see  me  mother 
last  night,  and  it  was  the  first  time  she  was  ever  in 
our  house,  for  her  and  me  mother  can't  hit  it.  I  was 
out  at  the  time — over  to  see  Veronica,  ye  know — but 
I  heard  all  about  it  at  breakfast-time  next  mornin'." 

"  Well,  chop  it  off ! "  urged  McGonagle,  impa 
tiently.  "  Don't  wait  until  I'm  grey-headed.  Bat  it 
out." 

"  Larry  and  Rose  is  goin'  to  run  double." 

"  G'way !  "  Goose  stared  at  his  friend,  amazedly. 
"  It  must  be  a  roast.  Murphy  was  a  friend  o'  Larkin's ; 
he  wouldn't  play  him  dirt  like  that !  " 

"  What's  Larkin  got  to  do  with  it  ?  " 


THE  RAGGED  EDGE  199 

"  Why  him  an'  Rose  was  engaged — on  the  quiet,  ye 
know." 

"  Whew !  "  Jerry  whistled  through  his  teeth  and 
frowned  across  the  table  at  the  other.  "  I'll  bet  the 
best  skate  we've  got  in  the  stable  that  Murphy  don't 
know  a  thing  about  it." 

"  But  Rose  does !  She's  give  Jimmie  the  ice-house 
laugh,  that's  what  she's  done ;  he's  only  a  sparrer,  an' 
Murphy's  got  the  money,  see?  I  never  put  me  lamps 
on  a  woman  yet  that  wasn't  daffy  after  a  guy  what's 
got  a  wad  o'  rags." 

Danny  Casey  who  sat  by  a  window,  emerged  from 
behind  his  newspaper,  took  his  feet  from  the  sill,  and 
observed : 

"  There  seems  to  be  lots  o'  new  t'ings  chasin'  around. 
When  I  heard  that  Dick  Nolan  and  Roddy  Ferguson 
had  made  up,  ye  cud  a-knocked  me  down  with  a  straw ; 
but  when  I  seen  them  workin'  together  against  Kelly, 
why,  say,  I  almost  fainted." 

"  That  ivas  a  funny  t'ing,"  agreed  McGonagle.  "  I 
tried  to  pump  Roddy,  but  he  was  dead  dry.  But,  say, 
it'll  be  a  good  snap  for  us  all,  eh?  Nolan's  ace  high 


200  THE  RAGGED  EDGE 

with  Gartenheim,  and  if  he  kin  coax  him  to  step  out, 
and  give  O'Connor  a  push,  Kelly '11  be  a  dead  cock  in 
the  pit." 

Casey  shook  his  head  doubtfully.  He  felt  that 
Goose's  hopes  were  a  trifle  too  roseate. 

"  Dick  pulls  some  weight  wit'  the  old  man,"  ad 
mitted  he ;  "  but  he  can't  do  all  that.  I  tell  youse  Gar- 
tenheim's  too  sore  on  O'Connor  to  turn  in  for  him. 
Stick  to  Murphy's  lay-out;  we've  got  the  best  chance 
there.  When  we  spring  it,  take  me  word  for  it,  the 
whole  shootin'  match'll  stand  up  on  their  hind  legs." 

"  Youse  might  be  right ;  I  only  hope  ye  are,"  said 
Jerry.  "  Anyhow  let's  go  down  the  line ;  we  ain't  doin' 
no  good  holdin'  down  chairs  around  here.  I  want  to 
see  old  man  Hoffer  and  a  lot  more  guys;  they're 
friends  o'  the  old  man's  and  I  want  to  sling  'em  a 
breeze." 

When  seven  o'clock  drew  on  the  division  houses 
were  wide  open ;  the  special  policemen  and  ward  work 
ers  were  clustered  in  the  doorways  and  were  aghast 
at  the  magnitude  of  the  vote  called  out  by  the  conflicting 
efforts  of  Kelly  and  his  opponents ;  it  was  as  heavy  as 
that  of  a  general  election  and  stood  unprecedented  in 


THE  RAGGED  EDGE  201 

their  experience.  McQuirk,  in  a  silk  hat  and  with  a 
cigar  between  his  teeth,  was  going  from  division  to 
division,  in  one  of  McGrath's  hacks;  his  subordinates 
worked  zealously  with  the  vote,  feeling  that  their  fu 
ture  weal  depended  upon  the  impression  that  they 
made. 

Clancy  came  through  McGarragle's  Alley  and  turned 
down  the  avenue  toward  the  polling  place  of  his  di 
vision  ;  his  white  apron  was  tucked  up  about  his  waist 
and  he  carried  a  ballot  fluttering  between  his  fingers. 
Murphy  who  stood  by  the  curb,  watching  things,  and 
sending  out  his  aids  to  drag  voters  from  their  suppers, 
at  once  pounced  upon  the  grocer. 

"  Just  a  second,  Clancy !  "  besought  he. 

A  stout  man  with  a  red  face  protested. 

"  Ah,  let  the  man  be !  "  requested  he.  "  The  polls  '11 
be  closed  in  a  little  while.  Go  ahead  and  vote, 
Clancy!" 

"  Close  yer  face,  will  youse?    I'm  doin'  this." 

"  An'  yer  makin'  a  mess  of  it.  too.  Youse  people  '11 
split  the  ticket,  and  we'll  get  it  good  and  hard,  like  last 
time." 

"  I  take  notice  youse  have  all  turned  in  for  de  guy 


202  THE  RAGGED  EDGE 

what  licked  youse;  youse  fellas  would  cap  for  Mc- 
Quirk  to  beat  yer  own  gran'father." 

Murphy  was  about  to  unmask  his  batteries  and 
wither  the  red-faced  man  with  sarcasm  when  Clancy 
interrupted  him. 

"  What  d'yez  want  av  me  ?  "  asked  he. 

"  Yer  got  a  pink  ticket  there.  Just  open  it  and  paste 
this  sticker  over  Pete  Slattery's  name." 

"  Divil  the  bit !  Sure,  Slattery's  a  friend  av  mine, 
an'  a  customer." 

"  But,  say,  he's  for  Kelly !  Ye  ain't  goin'  to  help 
that  slob  to  lick  us,  are  ye?  " 

"  For  Kelly !  Begorry,  they  niver  towld  me  that. 
Where's  yez  sticker?  Divil  a  boost  '11  I  give  a  man 
that's  for  James  Kelly." 

A  deep  murmur  that  swelled  into  a  smothered  roar 
came  from  the  cigar  store  where  the  balloting  was  be 
ing  held.  A  dense  group  of  excited,  gesticulating 
workers  were  gathered  about  the  table;  in  their  midst 
stood  two  men,  their  noses  almost  together,  their  faces 
pale,  their  voices  high-pitched  and  angry. 

"  Ye  don't  vote,  see,"  declared  one.  "  Ye  ain't  got 
no  vote,  here,  and  that  goes." 


THE  RAGGED  EDGE  203 

"  I'm  as  good  a  Democrat  as  youse,"  maintained  the 
other,  "  you're  a  mugwump,  ye  stiff !  " 

"You're  a  liar!" 

In  an  instant  they  had  clinched  and  were  making 
maddened  efforts  to  strike.  A  policeman  rushed  in, 
tore  them  apart  and  hustled  one  out  upon  the  sidewalk. 
Murphy  desperately  forced  his  way  through  the  crowd ; 
he  saw  a  vote  being  lost  to  his  faction,  and  the  sight 
aroused  all  his  combativeness. 

"  Let  him  go,"  commanded  he.  "  He  didn't  do 
nothin',  Callahan !  " 

Officer  Callahan  turned  with  upraised  club.  "  111 
break  your  lace ! "  growled  he,  "  I'm  dead  onto  you, 
anyhow." 

There  was  no  telling  to  what  extreme  the  young  man 
would  have  gone,  had  not  McGonagle  and  some  others 
pulled  him  away. 

"  Youse  must  be  daffy !  "  exclaimed  Goose,  "  D'ye 
want  to  play  right  into  their  hands?  Every  copper 
around  the  booth's  a  Kelly  man  and  they'll  rope  in  us 
people  if  we  look  cross-eyed;  and  then  we'll  get  the 
wrong  end  of  it,  sure." 

"  The  wagon's  been  out  t'ree  times  in  Tom  Hogan's 


204  THE  RAGGED  EDGE 

precinct,"  said  another,  "  they're  challengin'  all  our 
people  and  t'rowin'  'em  down — an'  givin'  'em  a  ride  if 
they  kick." 

"  I  know'd  Hogan'd  get  the  goose  if  he'd  go  against 
Daily  alone.  Somebody  go  down  and  help  him  out  " ; 
continued  Murphy.  "  Hully  Gee,  we  gotta'  hold  'em 
safe  down  tihere,  it's  our  strongest  graft,  and  we  can't 
afford  to  be  gold-bricked,  gents." 

"  It's  too  late,"  spoke  McGonagle,  looking  at  his 
open-faced  watch ;  "  the  polls  '11  be  closed  in  a  quarter 
of  an  hour." 

Jerry  McGlory  dashed  up  in  his  father's  falling-top 
buggy. 

"  Anything  doing  ?  "  asked  he. 

"  It's  all  done,"  answered  Larry. 

"How's  the  vote?" 

"  Heavy  as  lead." 

"  They're  doin'  us  dirt,"  said  McGlory,  bitterly. 
"  They're  pullin'  our  vote,  an'  holdin'  'em  for  a  hearin' 
in  the  mornin'.  They  took  twelve  out  o'  Mason's  pre 
cinct  since  seven  o'clock !  " 

"  Move  over,"  said  Larry.  He  and  McGonagle 
jumped  into  the  carriage  beside  Jerry,  as  he  continued : 


THE  RAGGED  EDGE  205 

"  Now  throw  it  into  that  old  skate  o'  yourn  for  all  yer 
worth." 

"  Which  way?  "  asked  McGlory. 

"  Up  to  Moran's,"  answered  his  friend.  "  He's 
goin'  to  do  somethin'  damned  quick,  or  the  next  guy  he 
holds  for  a  hearin'  '11  have  done  somethin'  to  be  held 
for!" 


Chapter  XX 


"  The  iron  tongue  of  midnight  hath  told  twelve." 

SHAKESPEARE. 

~T\  UT  Moran  was  not  to  be  found.  After  the 
i  ~\  horse  had  been  put  up,  Jerry  started  for  the 
club.  Larry  and  McGonagle  began  a  round 
of  the  divisions;  but  finding  the  polling  places 
closed,  followed  Jerry's  footsteps.  The  hour  was 
midnight ;  the  moon  was  pushing  its  red  rim  above 
the  housetops ;  and  the  great  heart  of  the  city  throbbed 
but  slowly.  The  streets  were  silent,  deserted,  save  for 
a  single  pedestrian  who  now  and  then  loomed  up, 
ghost-like,  from  the  shadows  and  as  suddenly  vanished 
frorh  view. 

"  So  youse  t'ink  we've  got  the  bulge,  eh?  "  asked 
Goose,  as  they  hurried  along. 

"  Sure !  We  copped  votes  in  places  where  I  t'ought 
we'd  get  the  dinky-dink.  If  the  other  end  o'  the  ward's 
as  much  to  the  good,  we're  all  right." 

206 


THE  RAGGED  EDGE  207 

An  engine  pulled  out  of  the  freight  yard  as  they 
were  about  to  pass  and  stood  coughing  and  panting 
upon  the  path,  blocking  their  passage.  A  shower  of  cin 
ders  dropped  through  the  grate  bars,  turned  a  dull  red 
and  then  expired ;  a  man  ran  along  the  top  of  the  cars 
swinging  his  lamp  in  frantic  signals ;  the  moist,  grimy 
face  of  the  fireman  peered  through  the  cab  window,  his 
inflamed  eyes  blinking  at  the  fluttering  red  spark ;  then 
the  lever  was  reversed  with  a  jerk,  and  back  they  go 
until  a  sudden  crash  and  a  shrill  "  Why-OO ! "  tells 
the  engineer  that  another  car  has  been  added  to  his 
string. 

"  Come  on,"  said  Goose,  "  here  comes  the  '  loco ' 
again.  What  are  youse  lookin'  at?  " 

Murphy  was  gazing  over  his  shoulder  into  the 
shadow  and  did  not  take  advantage  of  the  shifting 
engine's  retreat.  Two  men  were  swiftly  crossing  the 
street  toward  them. 

"  Here  comes  a  couple  o'  gents  what  wants  to  sling 
us  a  breeze,"  said  Larry.  "  It's  either  the  price  of  a 
bed  they're  chasin'  up,  or  they  want  to  give  us  a  piece 
o'  lead  pipe." 

"  The    fat    one    looks    like    old    Kelly,"    observed 


208  THE  RAGGED  EDGE 

McGonagle.  "Say,  he  can't  be  on  the  fight,  kin 
he?" 

They  waited  for  the  men  to  come  up ;  and  once  more 
the  signal  lamp  swayed  up  and  down,  once  more  the 
engine  wheezed  out  upon  the  path,  groaning  and  hiss 
ing  as  though  in  protest.  A  man  rushed  down  the 
track,  paused  under  the  flaring  head-light  to  look  at 
some  papers,  and  then  began  swearing  at  someone  in 
the  darkness.  He  had  lost  one  hand  and  the  stump 
was  armed  with  an  iron  hook;  this  he  waved  fran 
tically. 

"  Drop  them  last  cars !  Go  down  the  next  siding  and 
pick  up  the  flats!  You  know  better  than  this, 
Conroy !  " 

The  engine  seemed  to  have  caught  his  humour  for  it 
snorted  angrily ;  the  crew  began  twisting  madly  at  the 
brakes,  the  lamps  were  set  swinging  down  the  track ; 
a  shadowy  form  darted  out  of  the  gloom,  threw  open  a 
switch  and  was  immediately  swallowed  up  again.  The 
panting  of  the  locomotive  grew  fainter ;  from  far  down 
the  yard  its  head-light  burned  like  a  dim.  red  spark. 
The  man  with  the  hook  entered  a  watch  box  and  an 
grily  slammed  the  door.  Silence! 


THE  RAGGED  EDGE  209 

"  We  heard  that  yez  had  come  this  way,"  remarked 
Kelly,  as  he  came  up.  "  McQuirk  an'  mesilf  were 
passin'  Phil  Burk's  place  as  he  wur  shuttin'  up  an'  he 
towld  us  yez  had  started  for  the  club." 

"  We  want  to  have  a  little  talk,"  said  the  boss,  as 
they  walked  along.  "  A  little  confabulation,  you 
know." 

Larry  nudged  his  friend,  and  received  a  like  signal 
in  return. 

"  All  right,"  said  he,  cheerfully,  "'  sing  your  song, 
Mac.  What's  on  yer  mind  ?  " 

"  We  want  till  ax  yez — "  Kelly  began,  hurriedly ; 
but  McQuirk  stopped  him. 

"  Let  me  tend  to  this,"  requested  he,  coolly.  He 
turned  to  Larry  and  in  a  fatherly  fashion  laid  his  hand 
upon  his  shoulder.  They  were  under  an  arc  lamp  and 
in  the  blue-white  light.  Larry  saw  that  his  face  was 
wrinkling  with  smiles. 

"  You  toys  put  up  a  good  fight,"  said  McQuirk.  "  I 
like  the  way  you  run  things.  Me  an'  Moran  was 
talkin'  about  an  hour  ago;  he's  feelin'  obliged  to  the 
club  for  turnin'  in  for  Rhinehardt  for  common  council, 
and  told  me  to  tell  you  so." 


aio  THE  RAGGED  EDGE 

"  Don't  mention  it,"  murmured  Larry. 

"  There's  bigger  lobsters  than  Rhinehardt  kickin' 
around  loose,"  put  in  McGonagle.  "  He  kin  get  a 
lamp-post  put  on  the  corner  if  youse  want  one  bad ;  an' 
he  kin  have  one  took  away  if  youse  kick.  That's 
more'n  some  o'  the  other  guys  kin  do  for  the  ward." 

McQuirk  nodded  and  smiled  approvingly. 

"  Haley's  got  a  safe  majority  in  the  convention," 
said  he ;  "  the  present  member  '11  go  back  on  the  ticket 
for  Congress;  Abrams  has  won  in  a  canter;  and  the 
only  man  that's  been  back-heeled  is  Kelly,  here.  You 
boys  fought  him  so  hard  that  he  could  only  split  even." 

"  Much  obliged  for  puttin'  us  on,"  said  Larry.  "  So 
we  made  it  a  draw,  eh  ?  " 

"  That's  just  what  you  done,"  laughed  the  boss ;  "  an 
even  draw !  I  like  to  see  young  roosters  make  a  game 
fight ;  it  shows  that  they're  made  of  good  stuff.  But, 
look  here;  now  that  you've  showed  your  spurs,  what 
are  ye  goin'  to  do?  Kelly's  the  choice  of  the  regular 
crowd." 

Facing  tHem  was  Kerrigan's  saloon,  ablaze  with  in 
candescent  lamps.  A  number  of  men  came  noisily 
forth  and  went  wrangling  up  the  street;  the  white- 


THE  RAGGED  EDGE  211 

jacketed  barkeeper  came  out  and  looked  after  them; 
then  he  went  in,  banged  the  door  and  turned  off  the 
lights. 

"  Damn  it !  "  exclaimed  Kelly ;  "  he's  shut  up.  I  wur 
just  goin'  till  ax  yez  in  till  have  a  sup  av  somethinV 

"  Much  obliged,"  returned  Larry.  "  We  ain't  hittin' 
the  booze  to-night.  We're  in  trainin',  see  ?  " 

"  The  regulars  all  want  Kelly,"  persisted  McQuirk, 
"  and  we  want  to  hear  from  you  people.  Who  are  ye 
goin'  to  throw  the  vote  for  ?  " 

Larry  looked  at  him  sourly. 

"  The  reg'lar  crowd,  eh  ?  "  sneered  he.  "  That's  a 
good  t'ing,  ain't  it  ? "  to  McGonagle,  "  that's  a  real 
good  t'ing."  He  turned  once  more  to  McQuirk  and 
demanded :  "  Say  who  is  the  regulars,  eh  ?  Ain't  it 
the  majority  o'  the  party  ?  And  if  none  o'  us  ain't  got 
the  big  end  o'  it,  who  d'youse  call  the  reg'lar  push,  eh  ? 
Ain't  us  guys,  what's  workin'  agin  Kelly,  inside  the 
lines?  Don't  we  say  our  say?  And  don't  we  win  if 
we  hold  the  people  ?  " 

"  Keep  yer  shirt  on,"  soothed  McQuirk. 

"  That's  all  right,  see  ?  "  Larry  was  speaking  in  a 
loud,  sharp  tone,  working  his  arms  like  flails.  They 


212  THE  RAGGED  EDGE 

had  paused  upon  the  sidewalk,  before  the  door  of  the 
club.  The  piano  was  being  thumped  joyously  and  a 
thundering  chorus  came  through  the  partly  opened 
windows : 

"I'm  candidate, 

For  magistrate, 

An'  believe  me  what  I  say, 

So,  pull  off  your  coat, 

An'  cast  yer  vote, 

For  me  on  'lection  day." 

The  singing  ceased  suddenly  and  a  voice  shouted : 

"What's  the  matter  wit'  Kelly?" 

A  cyclone  of  groans,  hisses  and  profanity  came 
whirling  out  into  the  night.  The  execrated  one  looked 
at  McQuirk ;  and  McQuirk  shrugged  his  shoulders  and 
laughed.  A  man  got  between  the  light  and  one  of  the 
club  windows;  his  body,  silhouetted  upon  the  blind, 
writhed  and  swayed ;  his  right  hand  flourished  a  beer 
glass  above  his  head,  apparently  demanding  silence. 
At  last  his  voice  was  heard. 

"  Gents,"  cried  he,  "  we  have  slammed  it  into  'em, 


THE  RAGGED  EDGE  213 

ain't  that  right?  We've  got  the  t'ing  cinched!  We 
don't  want  that  lobster  Kelly,  and  we'll  sit  on  the  mugs 
what  trys  to  ring  him  in.  We  got  a  man  of  our  own." 
He  flourished  the  glass,  seeming  to  defy  contradiction. 
"  We  got  a  man  of  our  own,"  repeated  he ;  "  and  he's 
a  winner  in  a  walk !  Gents,  I'll  ask  you  for  t'ree  rips 
for  old  man  McGlory !  " 

The  yell  that  followed  split  the  silence  like  a  knife ; 
the  man  with  the  glass  vanished  from  the  blind;  the 
piano  resumed  its  measured  beat;  the  triumphant 
chorus  once  more  began. 

"  Youse  just  asked  me  what  us  people  was  agoin'  to 
do,"  said  Larry.  "  Well  the  gang  just  saved  me  the 
trouble  o'  tellin'  yez." 

"  So  McGlory  will  go  afore  the  convention,  Mur 
phy?  "asked  Kelly. 

"  It  looks  like  it,"  admitted  Larry. 


Chapter  XXI 


"  We  were  batting  the  town,  from  the  sun  went  down, 
Till  the  morning  grew  grey  in  the  sky; 
lAnd  we  heard  the  cocks  crow,  as  we  homeward  did  go, 
With  our  skins  full  of  mellow  old  rye." 

SONGS  OF  THE  CURB. 


the  two  young  men  pushed  open  the 
door  leading  to  the  club's  parlour,  they 
found  themselves  in  a  vortex  of  wild  en 
thusiasm.  The  congregated  members,  for  the  most 
part,  were  coatless;  and  with  cigars  clinched 
between  their  teeth  they  madly  gyrated  about  the  room 
to  the  tune  of  : 

"  Oh  Murphy  he  was  paralysed, 
McCarty  couldn't  see, 
'I  was  drunk,  but  Ferguson, 
Was  a  damn  sight  worse  than  me!"' 
214 


THE  RAGGED  EDGE  215 

Danny  Casey,  his  suspenders  slipped  from  his  shoul 
ders  and  his  derby  hat  tipped  back  upon  his  head,  pre 
sided  at  the  piano;  McGlory,  standing  upon  the  pool 
table  waved  his  arms  like  a  bandmaster. 

Mike  McCarty  appeared  to  be  the  only  sane  person 
in  the  place;  he  stood  in  the  doorway  that  led  to  the 
adjoining  room,  as  self-possessed,  as  well-dressed  as 
ever,  a  smile  upon  his  face.  Though  he  was  born  in  an 
alley  and  of  a  woman  who  took  in  washing,  Mike,  in 
instinct,  taste  and  deportment,  was  a  gentleman. 
Seeing  Larry  and  McGonagle  enter,  he  beckoned  them 
into  the  other  room  and  closed  the  door. 

"  The  push  is  havin'  a  good  time,"  remarked  Larry. 
"  That's  a  lovely  skate  McGlory's  got." 

"  They're  all  about  half  lit  up,"  returned  McCarty ; 
"  and  they  are  plumb  daffy,  too.  It's  best  to  save  yer 
sky-rockets  till  after  the  game's  won;  ain't  that 
right?" 

"  We'll  take  it  from  youse,"  agreed  Larry. 

"How  did  youse  make  out?"  asked  Mike. 

"  Knocked  'em  cold !  We  both  go  to  the  conven 
tion,  all  right." 

"  It  was  a  cinch,"  put  in  Goose.     "  There's  about 


2i6  THE  RAGGED  EDGE 

forty  o'  McGlory's  drivers  boardin'  in  my  division,  and 
when  the  old  man  cut  'em  loose,  the  Kelly  push  wilted 
like  wet  rags." 

"  Then  we  got  'em,"  declared  Mike,  exultantly.  "  I 
knowed  youse'd  win  out;  that  gives  us  two  more." 
He  nodded  toward  a  sheet  of  foolscap  upon  the  table, 
covered  with  names  and  figures.  "  Kerrigan  made 
that,"  added  he.  "  It's  all  right,  I  guess." 

Larry  and  McGonagle  bent  over  the  paper  atten 
tively  ;  the  uproar  in  the  other  room  continued ;  but  the 
tune  was  changed;  the  dancing  had  ceased  and  the 
voices  of  the  overjoyed  members  were  raised  in  the 
ditty: 

"I'm  goiri  down  to  Kerrigan's, 
On  purpose  to  get  tight, 
An'  when  I  get  home  again, 
There's  gain'  to  be  a  fight, 
I'll  smash  up  all  the  furniture, 
And  all  the  dishes,  too, 
Upset  the  stove  when  I  go  in, 
Is  the  first  t'ing  I  will  do." 


THE  RAGGED  EDGE  217 

The  reasons  for  these  acts  of  domestic  vandalism 
were  not  inquired  into  by  Murphy  or  McGonagle; 
each  had  his  finger  upon  a  name  and  they  were  look 
ing  at  each  other  with  something  like  dismay. 

"  Tim  Daily,"  Larry  straightened  up  and  fairly 
glared. 

"  And  Levitsky,"  moaned  Goose.  "  Elected  by  our 
people,  too !  Oh,  I  kin  see  our  finish,  right  here." 

"  Hully  Gee !  "  murmured  McCarty,  "  is  them  peo-  ' 
pie  been  worked  in?    Then  they're  got  the  bulge." 

There  ensued  a  silence  as  sulphurous  as  any  pro 
fanity  ever  conceived  by  mortal  man.  Then  McGona 
gle  spoke.  "  Well,"  demanded  he,  of  Larry,  "  what 
next?" 

"  They've  put  us  up  against  it,  hard,"  mourned 
Larry. 

"  Got  anyt'ing  to  say  Murphy  ?  " 

Larry  glowered  at  them  in  bovine  fury.  "  I  went 
into  this  mix,"  declared  he,  his  right  hand  beating  upon 
his  left,  "  to  win !  And  we're  goin  'to  win  if  we  have 
to  tear  up  the  ward  be  the  roots !  McQuirk's  played  a 
foxy  game,  and  worked  some  of  our  people  for  rank 


art  THE  RAGGED  EDGE 

suckers,  see  ?  But  we'll  kick  the  props  from  under  him 
and  do  him  brown,  d'ye  hear  ?  We'll  do  him  brown !  " 

"How?"  ventured  McGonagle. 

"  How  ?  I  don't  care  a  damn  how  we  do  it !  We 
ain't  a'goin'  to  let  him  play  us  for  good  t'ings, 
are  we?" 

"  Let's  go  see  Daily,"  suggested  Goose. 

McCarty  looked  at  his  watch.  "  It  only  wants  a 
couple  o'  minutes  o'  one,"  said  he,  "  Daily's  snorin'  t' 
beat  the  band  by  this  time." 

"Not  on  yer  life!  He's  on  the  night  shift  this 
week,"  said  Larry.  "  We  kin  see  him,  all  right.  Come 
on,  Goose." 

The  two  repassed  through  the  parlour,  almost  unno 
ticed  in  the  excitement,  and  down  the  stairs  to  the 
street.  They  headed  eastward  over  Girard  Avenue, 
their  objective  point  being  one  of  the  iron  mills  that 
line  the  river  front  in  Kensington. 

Down  a  narrow  street,  under  the  light  of  the  lamps, 
a  dozen  or  more  of  men  were  swinging  long-handled 
brooms;  a  pair  of  bony,  dispirited  horses  followed  in 
their  track,  their  driver  shovelling  the  heaps  of  rubbish 


THE  RAGGED  EDGE  219 

into  the  cart.  The  scavengers  droned  a  strange-sound 
ing  song  as  they  worked ;  the  watching  overseer  talked 
constantly,  in  a  sharp,  high  tone ;  the  horses  hung  their 
heads  dejectedly  and  rattled  at  the  chains  of  their 
harness. 

"  That's  some  of  McGlory's  night  gang,"  remarked 
Larry.  "  They  start  'em  out  early  since  the  loot  re 
ported  dirty  streets  in  the  old  man's  district/' 

They  turned  into  a  quiet  street  leading  toward  the 
river.  A  cellar  door  opened,  and  a  broad  barb  of  light 
shot  across  the  sidewalk;  from  the  midst  of  this  rose 
a  pallid,  spectral  form,  and  stood  looking  calmly  into 
the  night.  But  it  was  only  a  baker,  clad  in  his  spotless 
working  dress,  popping  out  of  his  overheated  basement 
for  a  breath  of  air.  A  great  stack,  towering  skyward, 
and  vomiting  a  blazing  shower  of  sparks  into  the  night, 
showed  that  they  were  nearing  the  mill.  The  huge, 
low,  shed-like  buildings  lifted  their  corrugated  walls, 
like  the  beginnings  of  greater  structures ;  a  knot  of 
men  were  gathered  about  the  wide  doorway;  they  had 
limp,  damp  towels  twisted  about  their  necks  and  all 
smoked  short  pipes.  Rows  of  puddlers,  naked  to  the 


220  THE  RAGGED  EDGE 

waist,  their  bodies  glistening  with  perspiration,  stood 
before  the  furnaces  "  balling  "  the  molten  metal ;  from 
time  to  time  one  would  drench  himself  with  water,  and 
once  more  face  the  Cyclopean  eye  glaring  so  angrily 
upon  him. 

Daily  was  among  the  crowd  at  the  door,  and  he 
smiled  and  winked  at  his  fellows,  as  the  two  young 
men  approached. 

"  We'll  on'y  keep  youse  a  second,"  said  Larry.  He 
gathered  from  Daily's  expression  that  he  knew  the  na 
ture  of  their  errand.  "  Come  on  in  here." 

The  three  entered  the  building.  The  vast  mill  was 
in  almost  complete  darkness,  save  for  the  far  end 
where,  sweltering,  the  puddlers  toiled;  here  and  there 
an  incandescent  light  threw  a  thin  gleam  over  the  pon 
derous  machines  which  crouched  close  to  the  floor  like 
squat  black  monsters.  Huge  cogs,  a-glitter  with  grease 
ground  together  with  metallic  growls. 

"  Cut  it  out,"  said  Daily ;  "  this  heat  '11  be  on  in  a 
minute  or  so." 

"  We've  heard  that  yous're  got  the  papers  in  your 
division  to  vote  in  the  convention  t'morrow,"  said 
Larry. 


THE  RAGGED  EDGE  221 

"  That's  what,"  grinned  Daily.  "  I'm  the  delegate, 
all  right." 

"  Who  are  youse  for  ?  "  asked  Larry. 

"  Why  Kelly,  of  course !  I'm  a  regular,  see  ?  I  don't 
get  dead  sore  because  t'ings  ain't  batted  my  way;  ain't 
that  right?  I  didn't  start  to  work  to-night  till  1  got 
out  the  vote,"  continued  Daily,  with  a  laugh,  "  an'  the 
way  your  people  shoved  their  little  old  votes  in  for  me 
when  Foley  slung  'em  a  breeze  that  I  was  against 
Kelly,  would  make  youse  hit  yer  mother.  Say,  it  was 
the  real  t'ing !  " 

"  I  knowed  youse  done  us  dirt !  "  exclaimed  Larry. 

"  None  o'  youse  could  a-squeezed  in  any  other  way 
in  that  division,"  put  in  McGonagle,  angrily. 

"  Ah,  git  out !  If  they  was  fools  enough,  whose 
fault  is  it?  If  you  was  dead  set  on  carryin'  the  pre 
cinct,  why  didn't  youse  watch  your  end  o'  the  game, 
eh  ?  But  I  got  the  vote,  and  I'm  for  Kelly !  " 

From  far  away  in  the  dimness  of  the  mill,  a  hammer 
rang  upon  an  iron  plate  with  a  tumultuous  clangour. 
A  voice  vociferated : 

"Heat!    Heat!    Heat-oo!" 

Pipes  were  laid  aside ;  heavy  shoes  rattled  along  the 


222  THE  RAGGED  EDGE 

plated  floor;  the  rolls  began  to  rumble  slowly  as  the 
belts  were  shifted  from  the  loose  pulleys;  the  men 
seized  their  tools  and  stood  ready. 

"  So  long,"  said  Daily.    "  The  'heat's  up." 

"  Hold  on ! "  Murphy  held  him  by  the  arm  and 
spoke  rapidly.  "  Listen  to  me.  A  delegate  sits  in  a 
pow-wow  to  talk  for  the  people  what  sends  him ;  ain't 
that  right?  An*  if  they  sends  him  to  salt  a  man,  and 
he  supports  him,  why  he's  playin'  'em  all  for  good 
t'ings!" 

Daily  turned  away.  "Youse  give  me  a  pain," 
sneered  he,  over  his  shoulder. 

They  watched  him  as  he  took  his  place  at  the  rolls. 
Huge  tongs  running  upon  trolleys,  were  shoved  into 
the  gaping  maws  of  the  furnaces  and  each  emerged 
gripping  a  white-hot  mass  of  metal.  A  jarring  concus 
sion  rang  through  the  building ;  it  was  the  first  of  these 
being  passed  through  the  rolls,  and  its  scattering  scales 
made  even  the  hardened  "  passers  "  flinch.  Report  fol 
lowed  report;  the  darkness  had  vanished  before  the 
lurid  glare;  the  heat  of  the  place  became  blistering. 
Amid  the  blinding  flashes  and  the  serpentlike  bars  that 
crawled  about  the  floor,  the  men  worked  furiously,  like 


THE  RAGGED  EDGE  223 

heat-maddened  demons,  engaged  in  some  dread  incan 
tation. 

Then  they  turned  and  walked  away.  Larry's  face 
worked  with  rage;  McGonagle  walked  gloomily  along 
at  his  side,  his  hands  stuffed  into  his  pockets,  his  head 
bent  dejectedly. 

"  We've  got  it  where  we  live,"  said  the  latter.  "  It 
was  all  serene  till  we  heard  o'  this,  and  if  he's  goin'  to 
vote  for  Kelly,  why  we  can't  stop  him,  that's  all;  we 
can't  do  nawthin'." 

"  T'ell  we  can't !  "  cried  the  enraged  Murphy.  "  Say, 
look'et  here,  Goose;  one  hour  after  Tim  Daily  says 
'  yea '  for  Kelly  he'll  be  in  St.  Mary's  done  up  in 
splints!  He's  played  crooked  with  us  people,  ain't 
that  right?  And  we'll  git  even  if  we  have  to  t'ump 
him.  Ah!" 

They  walked  along  for  a  time,  in  silence. 

"  Are  ye  goin'  to  see  the  other  lobster  ?  "  questioned 
Goose. 

"  Let's  go  over  to  the  Dutchman's,  hit  a  bracer  and 
talk  t'ings  over,  first.  I've  got  cobwebs  in  me  head 
an'  I  want  to  brush  'em  away.  The  motzer  kin  wait 
till  daylight." 


224  THE  RAGGED  EDGE 

The  saloon  was  the  only  all-night  establishment  in 
the  neighbourhood.  It  glittered  with  clusters  of  elec 
tric  lamps  and  broad,  gilt-framed  mirrors;  a  marble- 
topped  bar  backed  by  pyramids  of  glasses  and  bottles 
stood  upon  one  side. 

They  talked  in  a  desultory  way  for  some  time,  con 
suming  much  beer  and  many  plates  of  sandwiches. 
Dawn  stretched  a  grey  hand  through  the  window  and 
dimmed  the  clusters  of  lights ;  and  when  they  ranged 
along  the  bar  for  the  last  drink,  the  streets  were  filling 
with  people  hurrying  toward  their  work. 

Then  they  tramped  off  toward  the  spreading  He 
brew  settlement  on  North  Second  Street.  Levitsky, 
the  man  whom  they  sought,  while  he  claimed  a  voting 
place  in  the  ward,  really  lived  south  of  the  line,  in  one 
of  the  row  of  houses  that  face  the  old  market  sheds. 
These  teem  with  long-coated,  huge-bearded  Russian 
Jews,  who  drag  their  stock  in  trade  upon  the  sidewalk 
each  morning  and  prowl  up  and  down  before  it  watch 
ing  for  customers,  and  hoarsely  shouting  in  a  mixture 
of  English  and  Yiddish. 

Larry  and  his  chum  paused  before  a  dirty  bulk  win 
dow  heaped  with  odds  and  ends  of  merchandise ;  on  a 


THE  RAGGED  EDGE  225 

stand  upon  the  sidewalk  lay  little  stacks  of  Yiddish 
newspapers  and  pamphlets;  a  thin,  yellow-faced  man, 
in  a  round,  high-crowned  cap,  and  with  a  beard  of 
patriarchal  length,  sat  in  the  doorway  twisting  a 
cigarette  out  of  some  damp  tobacco.  He  was  a  wise 
man  in  the  Ghetto,  learned  in  the  law  and  a  public 
reader  of  the  scrolls;  he  knew  the  ways  of  Gentile 
youth  when  it  was  half  drunken,  for  he  drew  his  long 
coat  about  his  gaunt  frame  as  they  approached,  and 
raised  his  hand  to  prevent  the  expected  plucking  at  his 
beard. 

"  Where's  Levitsky  ?  "  asked  Larry. 

The  man  in  the  velvet  cap  gestured  his  relief  and 
called  shrilly  to  someone  within.  A  girl  came  out;  a 
dark-eyed,  deep-breasted  girl,  the  perfect  type  of 
Jewess. 

"  Levitsky's  gone  down  to  get  his  breakfast  at 
Sam's,"  said  she. 

"  Much  obliged,"  said  Larry.     "  Come  on,  Goose." 

Down  the  street  a  scarlet  lettered  sign  flamed  con 
spicuously  among  a  wilderness  of  others,  and  thither 
they  hurried  and  entered  at  the  door  over  which  it 
hung.  The  revolving  fans  drove  the  hot,  strong- 


226  THE  RAGGED  EDGE 

odoured  breath  of  the  place  into  -their  faces ;  waiters, 
greasy  aproned  and  perspiring,  rushed  about  dexter 
ously  balancing  pyramids  of  food-filled  crockery;  the 
iroom  resounded  with  shouted  orders  and  the  incessant 
ringing  of  the  cash  register. 

"  There  he  is,"  said  Larry. 

A  stocky  young  man,  in  a  collarless  shirt,  was  just 
about  to  seat  himself  at  a  table;  he  greeted  them  sur- 
prisedly, 

"  Vy  cert'ny,"  answered  he,  "  ye  kin  see  me.  But 
I  cand  sell  no  bolicy  here,  chends ;  there  ish  doo  many 
beoble." 

"'  We  ain't  lookin'  for  policy.  We  want  to  see  youse 
about  yer  little  old  vote  in  the  convention." 

Levitsky  grinned.  "  Oh !  "  said  he,  "  veil,  sit  down. 
Vill  you  have  anyding  to  eat  ?  " 

"  No ! "  said  Larry.  "  We'll  on'y  stay  in  here  a 
second." 

The  policy-writer  did  not  urge  them,  but  turned  to 
the  waiter. 

"  Two  fried  eggs ;  a  rare  steak  ant  onions,  ant  a 
cup  of  coffee." 

And   then    Larry   proceeded   to   state   his    views; 


THE  RAGGED  EDGE  227 

Levitsky  listened,  never  volunteering  a  word,  until  he 
had  finished  his  excited  remarks,  then  he  spoke. 

"  Youse  chends  alvays  treaded  me  right,"  said  he, 
"  and  I  wud  like  to  do  someding  for  you,  an'd  dot  ride  ? 
But  McQuirk  jusd  god  me  oudt  of  drouble  and  I  cand 
go  pack  on  him,  can  I  ?  "  He  flourished  his  arms 
wildly  as  though  protesting  against  the  mere  thought. 
"  I  vill  leave  id  to  you  fellas !  "  exclaimed  he,  "  vould  id 
be  ride?" 

This  involved  a  question  of  ethics  with  which  neither 
Larry  nor  McGonagle  felt  themselves  capable  of 
grappling. 

"  But  say,"  demanded  Murphy,  "  do  youse  t'ink  us 
people's  goin'  to  make  good  to  McQuirk  because  he  got 
youse  out  o'  hock?  If  ye  want's  to  square  yerself, 
don't  make  us  stand  for  that.  Ye've  copped  a  sneak 
on  us,  Levitsky,  ye  know  ye  have." 

They  argued  the  question  until  the  ordered  break 
fast  appeared.  Levitsky  attacked  it,  apparently  un 
moved  in  his  determination  to  remain  faithful  to  the 
boss ;  the  others  got  up  angry  and  despairing. 

"  Just  now,"  said  Larry,  "  it  looks  as  if  youse  had 
us  skinned  to  death ;  but,  say,  there's  a  block  for  every 


228  THE  RAGGED  EDGE 

punch,  and  if  Daily  and  youse  try  to  double  bank  us, 
we'll  git  even  in  the  convention  if  we  have  to  pull  the 
shack!" 

And  they  left  the  place. 


Chapter  XXII 


"  Come  all  ye  sons  of  Erin  an'  listen  to  my  lay, 
An'  I'll  tell  the  story  av  the  wise  man  av  Galway, 
A  credit  to  his  country — a  credit  to  his  name, 
Three  provinces  a-ringin'  wid  the  echoes  av  his  fame." 

AN   OLD   COME-ALL-YE. 

rHERE  were  but  few  at  the  six  o'clock  serv 
ice,  and  these  were  so  scattered  about  the 
church  'as  to  create  the  impression  of  va 
cancy.      The    priest,    glittering    in    gold-embroidered 
vestments    intoned    the    mass    at    the    high    altar; 
the  acolytes  drowsily  made  the  responses ;  the  wor 
shippers    followed    the    sacrifice    with    devout    atten 
tion;  a  restless  child  now  and  then  broke  the  silence 
that  pervaded. 

A  light  stole  through  a  long,  stained  window,  throw 
ing  shafts  of  crimson  and  purple  radiance  across  the 
side  altar,  where  stood  a  carven  image  of  the  Holy 
Virgin.  A  girl  knelt  at  the  altar  rail,  her  head  bowed, 
her  hands  clasped.  Even  the  black-robed  sisters,  who 

229 


23o  THE  RAGGED  EDGE 

taught  in  the  parochial  school,  now  and  then  raised 
their  eyes  to  look  at  her,  for  she  was  so  white,  her 
attitude  was  so  supplicating. 

Larry  Murphy  who  was  very  regular  at  church  since 
Mary  died,  often  glanced  up  from  his  book  to  look  at 
the  pleading  figure;  but  he  did  not  recognize  her,  he 
was  too  far  off,  or  the  light  was  too  dim.  It  was  Rosie 
O'Hara. 

With  all  her  pure  young  heart  Rosie  was  pleading 
for  her  love.  Right  or  wrong  she  had  been  taught  to 
carry  her  griefs  to  her  who  had  been  born  into  the 
world  to  crush  the  serpent's  head;  and  with  an  in 
tensity  for  which  her  mind  could  find  no  words,  she 
prayed  mutely. 

The  gleaming,  richly-wrought  vessels  had  been 
taken  from  the  tabernacle  and  stood  upon  the  pure 
white  altar  cloth;  the  good  father  bent  his  knee,  and 
every  Head  sank  in  adoration.  Rosie,  awed  to  the  very 
soul  at  the  proximity  of  the  unveiled  host,  found  words 
— the  words  of  the  angel : 

"  Hail  Mary,  full  of  grace,"  she  breathed,  "  blessed 
art  thou  among  women ;  and  blessed  is  trie  fruit  of  thy 
womb,  Jesus." 


THE  RAGGED  EDGE  231 

At  intervals  the  bell  continued  to  ring  softly,  the 
people  beat  their  breasts;  all  bent  before  the  uplifted 
host,  save  the  child,  who  looked  on,  open-eyed,  won 
dering. 

"  Holy  Mary,  mother  of  God,"  pleaded  the  girl. 
"  Pray  for  us  sinners,  now  and  at  the  hour  of  our 
death!" 

When  the  services  were  ended,  Rosie  lingered  until 
the  priest  had  left  the  altar  and  the  people  had  gone. 
Upon  her  way  out  she  paused.  In  a  far  corner,  where 
the  light  scarcely  fell,  hung  a  pale,  white  Christ  upon 
a  cross ;  she  knelt  and  pressed  her  lips  to  the  wounded 
feet,  her  eyes  bright  with  tears,  and  then  she  passed 
out  through  the  great  swinging  doors. 

Larry  had  been  one  of  the  first  to  leave  the  church ; 
Jimmie  Larkin,  who  was  standing  upon  Kerrigan's 
corner,  saw  him,  instantly  crossed  the  street  and  ad 
vanced  to  meet  him. 

"  Larkin ! "  young  Murphy's  voice  showed  his  sur 
prise  ;  and  he  held  out  his  hand  in  a  hearty,  full-blooded 
fashion.  But  Jimmie  stuffed  his  hands  into  his 
pockets,  and  stared  at  him,  with  a  sneer. 

"  Ain't  youse  forgot  somethin'  ?  "  asked  he. 


1232  THE  RAGGED  EDGE 

Larry  looked  his  astonishment :  "  What's  hurtin' 
ye?  "  he  demanded. 

"Ye  know  well  enough!  I've  bin  put  next  to  the 
cross  game  yer  workin',  Murphy;  I'm  dead  on,  I  tell 
ye,  and  I'm  rotten  sorry !  I  trusted  ye,  I  did ;  I  trusted 
youse  like  I  would  me  brother." 

"  Say,  what's  the  matter  with  youse,  Larkin  ?  Don't 
stand  there  like  a  stuffed  shirt!  Put  me  on  to  the 
trouble.  What  are  youse  jumpin'  me  for?" 

"  Ah !  Don't  try  that ;  it  won't  work.  I  ain't  sore 
because  I  got  the  dinky-dink,  but  on'y  because  youse 
had  a  hand  in  it!  You  was  me  pal,  wasn't  youse? 
Didn't  I  usta  sleep  with  youse?  And  didn't  we  eat 
together?  I  borried  yer  coin  when  I  was  strapped, 
and  lent  youse  mine  when  I  had  any.  You  knowed  all 
about  how  it  was  with  me  and  her,  ye  knowed  it  and 
done  me  dirt  when  me  back  was  turned.  That's  the 
part  what  hurts,  an  I've  broke  trainin'  to  come  here 
and  lick  youse,  Murphy — to  lick  youse  till  ye  beg !  " 

Larry  drew  back,  frowning  into  the  other's  flushed 
face. 

"  I  don't  know  what  ye  mean,"  said  he,  sharply. 
"  Youse're  a  friend  o'  mine,  Larkin,  and  I'll  stand  for 


THE  RAGGED  EDGE  233 

all  kinds  o'  talk  from  ye,  but,  say,  if  ye  go  t'rowin' 
any  punches  my  way,  I'll  try  to  give  ye  a  run  for  yer 
trouble." 

It  was  then  that  Rosie  came  out  of  the  church.  She 
saw,  with  frightened  eyes,  the  angry  and  threatening 
gestures,  and  caught  the  high,  sharp  tones  of  their 
voices.  She  Lurried  forward,  her  heart  palpitating, 
realizing  at  once  the  cause  of  the  quarrel. 

"  Oh,  Jimmie,"  she  exclaimed.  "  Have  you  got  back 
home!" 

"  Oh,  yes,"  said  he  mockingly :  "  I've  come  back. 
I  just  wanted  to  see  Larry,  that's  all." 

"  Don't  ask  Larry  about  it,"  she  pleaded,  eagerly. 
"  He  don't  know  a  thing.  Let's  walk  down  toward 
McTurpin's,  and  I'll  tell  you—" 

Larkin  laughed  and  interrupted  her.  "  Gee !  "  ex 
claimed  he,  "  is  it  that  bad,  eh  ?  Is  he  a-goin'  to  hide 
behind  yer  skirts  ?  " 

"  I  ain't  a-goin  to  hide,  and  I  ain't  got  no  reason 
to  hide,"  stormed  Murphy.  "  Come  on,  whatever  it 
is !  We'll  settle  this  right  here." 

"  Don't  fight,"  said  Rosie,  frightened  more  than 
ever.  "  Look  you're  a-most  in  front  of  the  church. 


234  THE  RAGGED  EDGE 

Honest  to  God,  Larry,  I  couldn't  help  it!  Me  father 
got  it  around :  He  told  everybody." 

"Eh!    Told  what?" 

"  Why,  you  know  that,  what  Mary  said ;  you  ain't 
forgot  about  that  ?  When  she  was  dyin',  I  mean." 

"Oh!  No!  But  what's  he  gotta  do  with  that? 
That's  what  I  want  to  know;  where's  his  kick 
a-comin?  " 

"  Me  and  him  was  engaged,  ye  know,  an'  Pop  made 
me  write  to  him  that  me  and  you — " 

"  No ! "  Murphy  fairly  gasped  as  he  caught  her 
meaning.  "  Say,  did  youse  do  that  ?  " 

Rosie  began  to  choke  and  sob. 

"  Oh,  Larry,  I  couldn't  help  it ;  they  frightened  me 
so;  and  I  was  willing  to  do  anything." 

Larkin  was  looking  from  one  to  the  other,  puzzled, 
glowering  and  suspicious.  Murphy  turned  to  him. 

"  You're  right,"  said  he.  "  If  ye  t'ought  I  was  doin' 
that,  I  don't  blame  youse  for  wantin'  to  start  t'ings  my 
way.  But,  say,  we  kin  fix  this  up  to  suit.  Les'  go 
in  here,"  nodding  to  the  open  iron  gate  that  led  to  the 
little  burial  ground  behind  the  church.  "  We  kin  talk 
all  we  want  and  nobody'll  hear  us.'* 


THE  RAGGED  EDGE  235 

They  walked  about  the  tiny  inclosure  where  lay  the 
parish  dead,  under  the  rank  tufts  of  grass  and  the 
weather-beaten  stones;  and  there  they  told  Jimmie  of 
Mary's  request,  and  Rosie  narrated  the  story  of  her 
father's  crafty  handling  of  her  to  break  one  promise 
and  keep  the  other. 

Young  Larkin  drew  his  breath,  slowly,  after  all  had 
been  said,  and  then  expelled  it  with  great  force.  He 
held  out  his  hand  to  Larry. 

"  It's  up  to  me,"  said  he.  "  I  might  a-knowed,  old 
pal ;  but  youse  know  how  it  is." 

"  It's  all  right,"  said  Murphy,  shaking  his  hand ; 
"  on'y  ye  might  a-looked  at  it  that  way  before  ye 
jumped  me.  But  let  it  go  at  that,  it's  all  to  the  good 
now." 

"  But  the  promise,"  said  Rosie.  "  That'll  always  be 
there ;  I  can't  break  it ;  I'd  be  frightened  to." 

"  Gee !  "  cried  Larkin,  impatiently.  "  Don't  mind 
that ;  Mary  was  outa  her  head,  see  ?  And  the  old  ones 
was  a-workin'  youse ;  they  was  after  Murphy's  money, 
see?" 

But  the  fear  was  implanted  too  deeply  in  her 
breast  to  be  moved  by  this.  Larry  understood  and 


236  THE  RAGGED  EDGE 

pondered  the  matter,  while  Jimmie  argued  and  Rosie 
sobbed. 

"  Why,  it's  easy,"  said  he,  suddenly.  "  You  needn't 
break  your  promise,  Rosie,  if  youse're  afraid." 

The  others  looked  at  him,  hopefully. 

"  It  was  you  what  promised,"  said  Larry.  "  I 
didn't  say  a  word,  see?  I'll  lay  down!  I  won't  marry 
youse;  and  if  I  won't,  how  kin  youse  go  ahead,  eh? 
It  lets  youse  out!  That's  what  it  does — it  lets  youse 
out!" 

The  simplicity  of  this  made  Larkin  stare,  and  caused 
Rosie  hopefully  to  dry  her  eyes.  Larry  was  vocifer 
ously  triumphant;  he  saw  all  made  clear,  and  was  as 
happy  as  he  desired  them  to  be. 

"  I'll  go  round  and  bruise  up  yer  father,"  said  he. 
"  I'll  talk  to  him  like  a  Dutch  uncle,  I  will.  Him  and 
the  two  old  ones '11  play  light  on  the  ghost  game  when 
I  get  through.  They'll  see  it  ain't  no  use.  Take  a 
walk  with  Jimmie,  Rosie;  don't  go  home  till  youse 
t'ink  I've  left.  I'll  make  it  right,  all  right !  " 

But  tfhis  was  not  the  only  incident  of  the  morning. 
Annie  Clancy  stood  in  the  door  of  the  grocery  store ; 


THE  RAGGED  EDGE  237 

and  as  Goose  McGonagle  came  along  he  naturally 
stopped  for  a  chat.  The  voice  of  Clancy  could  be 
heard  grumbling  from  the  interior. 

"  What's  the  matter  with  yer  father  ?  "  asked  Goose. 

"  Don't  talk  too  loud,"  warned  Annie,  with  uplifted 
finger,  "  he  might  hear  ye.  He's  been  in  an  awful 
temper  ever  since  his  half  sister,  old  Miss  Cassidy, 
died-  They  say  she  left  her  money  to  the  Church.  He 
thought  he'd  git  it,  and  then  he'd  be  able  to  pay — you 
know  what." 

The  milkman  nodded. 

"  I  ought  to,"  answered  he,  "  I  can't  t'ink  o'  the  mess 
I'm  in  meself  without  t'inkin'  o'  that.  But  his  temper 
don't  cut  no  ice  with  me,  Annie,  I'm  goin'  to  talk  to 
him  to  day  if  I  git  t'run  down  or  not." 

"  Annie !  "  called  Clancy,  angrily.  "  Sure,  what 
keeps  yez  glosterin'  be  the  dure?  Come  in  at  wanst, 
an'  tind  till  yez  bit  av  wurk." 

"  He  knows  I'm  here,"  smiled  Goose. 

"  I  must  go  in,"  whispered  Annie,  "  good-by." 

Goose  started  up  the  street  upon  his  round,  mutter 
ing: 


238  THE  RAGGED  EDGE 

"  Clancy  ain't  so  many,  if  he  does  run  a  grocery 
store.  Annie's  willin'  to  call  it  a  go,  an'  I  don't  see — 
Gee !  Here  comes  O'Hara." 

The  second-hand  dealer  had  just  come  out  of  his 
shop ;  he  wore  his  narrow-rimmed  high  hat  and  carried 
his  thick  black-thorn  cane. 

"  Good  mornin'  till  yez,  McGonagle,"  saluted  he. 

"  How  are  youse?  "  responded  Goose. 

"  I  have  no  rayson  till  complain,"  said  O'Hara. 
Then  he  tapped  his  stick  once  or  twice  upon  the  pave 
ment,  and  cleared  his  throat.  "  McGonagle,"  said  he, 
"  yez  will  be  after  havin'  the  troifle  av  money  that's 
due  me  nixt  week  ?  " 

"Why,  say,  O'Hara,  t'tell  youse  the  trut'  I  don't 
see  how  I  kin  git  it.  Bizness  is  so  rotten  bad,  ye 
know." 

"What's  that?  Bad  luck  till  ye,  McGonagle,  what 
talk  have  yez  ?  " 

"  Don't  git  hot !  Youse  (heard  me  speak  me  piece, 
didn't  ye?  Well,  that's  jist  what  I  mean.  An'  I  can't 
stand  chewin'  it  with  youse  all  day,  O'Hara ;  me  cus- 
tomers'll  be  waitin'  for  their  milk.  So  long." 

And  with  this  he  hurried  off  while  O'Hara  gazed 


THE  RAGGED  EDGE  239 

angrily  after  him  for  a  moment,  then  started  off  toward 
Clancy's. 

"  The  bla'gard !  "  muttered  O'Hara.  "  The  thafe  av 
the  world  till  keep  a  daysint  man  out  av  his  bit  av 
money ! " 

He  entered  Clancy's  and  found  the  grocer  alone, 
seated  astride  a  crate,  sorting  eggs. 

"  The  top  av  the  mornin'  till  yez,  Clancy,"  said 
O'Hara,  politely. 

"  The  same  till  yezsilf,"  responded  Clancy.  "  Sure, 
an'  it's  glad  till  see  yez  I  am,  this  foine  mornin'." 
Then  under  his  breath  he  added :  "  God  forgi'me  for 
the  lie  I'm  tellin'." 

"  I've  jist  luked  in  till  ask  if  yez  have  the  troifle  av 
money  that's  due  me,"  said  O'Hara. 

"  I  have  not  the  price  av  a  can  av  beer  in  the  house. 
Faix  an'  I've  jist  paid  me  butter  man  who  shud  have 
had  his  money  last  Chuesday,  an'  it's  claned  out  I  am, 
entirely." 

"  An'  might  I  ax  yez,  Mister  Clancy,  what's  till  be 
come  av  me  ?  " 

"  Scure  till  the  wan  av  me  knows.  Can't  ye  extind 
the  time?" 


240  THE  RAGGED  EDGE 

"  Divil  raysave  the  day !  "  And  O'Hara  turned 
abruptly  toward  the  door.  "  Mister  Clancy,  I  will 
have  me  money,  principal  an'  intrust,  or  I  will  sell  yez 
out !  "  He  paused  upon  the  threshold.  "  Iv  ye  are  not 
at  me  store  t'morry  at  twelve  be  the  day,  I  will  have 
Haggerty,  the  constable,  down  on  yez.  Mister  Clancy, 
good  day  till  yez,  sir !  "  And  he  slammed  the  door 
behind  him. 

"  An'  the  divil  go  wid  ye,"  exclaimed  Clancy,  sav 
agely,  as  he  resumed  his  work  upon  the  crate  of  eggs. 

"  Ain't  ye  goin'  to  church  this  mornin',  Pop  ?  "  called 
Annie,  from  an  inner  room. 

"  Faith  an'  I  am,"  answered  her  father,  rising  hur 
riedly,  and  slipping  off  his  apron.  "  It's  bad  luck 
enough  I'm  havin'  widout  missin'  me  juty.  What  time 
is  it,  asthore  ?  " 

"  It  wants  on'y  a  few  minutes." 

Clancy  put  on  his  coat.  "  It  wur  a  black  day,"  he 
muttered,  as  he  started  off,  "  when  I  borryed  that 
money  av  Malachi  O'Hara.  The  owld  villyan'll  keep 
his  word,  bad  luck  till  him ;  it's  in  a  trench  wid  a  pick 
I'll  be,  afore  trie  week's  out." 

After  leaving   Rosie  and   Larkin,    Larry   Murphy 


THE  RAGGED  EDGE  241 

headed  straight  for  O'Hara's ;  but  he  had  scarce  gone 
a  half  block  when  he  encountered  Kerrigan  and  Mason, 
who  had  just  paused  before  Owen  Dwyer's  door. 
Mason  grasped  the  young  man's  hand  and  shook  it 
warmly. 

"  I  am  delighted  that  you  have  made  such  a  splen 
did  fight  against  McQuirk,"  said  he. 

"  It  ain't  McQuirk,  so  much,"  said  Larry.  "  Kelly's 
the  man  I'm  after." 

"  We're  just  going  in  to  see  Owen  Dwyer,  about  the 
delegates  for  his  division,"  said  Kerrigan.  "  Won't 
you  come  in  ?  He'll  want  to  see  you,  I  know." 

Owen  had  seen  the  trio  from  the  window  and  had 
opened  the  door  in  time  to  catch  these  words. 

"  Come  in,  Larry,"  said  he  cordially.  "  It's  a  stran 
ger  ye've  made  av  yezsilf  long  enough." 

Owen  had  asked  him  to  visit  them  many  times  be 
fore,  but  Larry  had  never  done  so  because  of  the  fear 
that  Maggie  would  think  he  was  forcing  himself  upon 
her,  and  this  his  pride  would  not  permit.  He  was 
reluctant  to  enter  even  now,  but  somehow  there  was 
also  a  feeling  of  gladness  in  his  being  unable  to  refuse. 

He  sat  upon  the  edge  of  the  chair  that  Owen  offered 


242  THE  RAGGED  EDGE 

him,  stole  covert  glances  about  the  parlour  and  earnestly 
hoped  that  Maggie  was  not  at  home.  A  glance  at  the 
clock  showed  him  that  it  was  but  shortly  after  eight, 
and  he  wonderingly  confessed  to  a  sense  of  satisfac 
tion  in  the  knowledge  that  school  did  not  begin  until 
nine.  Owen  settled  his  doubts  by  poking  his  head 
through  the  hangings  of  a  doorway,  and  calling: 

"  Maggie,  asthore;  can  ye  come  here  for  a  minyute? 
Sure,  it's  company  we're  after  havin'  so  airly  in  the 
mornin'." 

Maggie  entered  the  room,  obediently;  she  flushed  a 
little  at  sight  of  Larry,  but  managed  to  greet  him  in  a 
calm,  even  voice  that  betrayed  nothing  of  what  she 
might  feel. 

She  talked  to  'him  of  neighbourhood  events,  he  an 
swering  awkwardly  and  distantly,  as  he  always  did 
with  her.  Her  father  had  plunged  into  an  earnest  dis 
cussion,  with  the  others,  of  the  coming  convention, 
and  finally  swept  them  out  of  the  room  to  look  at  some 
figures  which  he  had  compiled,  bearing  upon  the  com 
parative  strength^  of  the  opposing  factions. 

TKere  was  a  short  silence  after  this ;  and,  at  length 
Maggie  said : 


THE  RAGGED  EDGE  243 

"  I  have  wanted  so  to  speak  to  you  lately,  but  you 
are  such  a  stranger  1 " 

A  little  thrill  ran  through  Larry  at  these  words. 
She  had  thought  of  him,  then ;  and  the  fancied  that  he 
caught  a  note  of  vexation  in  her  voice.  He  pondered 
this,  confusedly,  and  did  not  reply.  She  con 
tinued  : 

"  I  wanted  to  tell  you  how  sorry  I  was  at  your  great 
loss.  Mary  was  a  sweet  and  good  girl." 

"  That's  right,"  said  he,  eagerly.  "  There  ain't 
many  like  her,  is  there  ?  " 

"  No !  "  answered  Maggie,  gently. 

"  She  was  too  good  for  me,"  said  he,  soberly. 

Though  Maggie  did  not  agree  with  him  in  this,  she 
did  not  say  so.  And  this  is  why:  She  had  been  a 
constant  visitor  during  Mary's  illness,  and  the  sorrow 
that  had  grown  so  upon  the  sick  girl  toward  the  end 
had  not  escaped  her.  Little  by  little  she  grasped  the 
causes  of  this  and  realized  why  Larry  had  asked  Mary 
to  be  his  wife.  She  had  laboured  strenuously  to  per 
suade  the  gentle  girl  that  love  alone  had  been  his  mo 
tive,  but  without  success.  Though  she  had  loved 
Larry  from  the  days  of  her  girlhood — and  this  Maggie 


244  THE  RAGGED  EDGE 

had  confessed  to  herself  long  before — still  her  heart 
was  great  enough  to  appreciate  what  he  had  endeav 
oured  to  do;  and  all  the  more  because  it  proved  him 
to  be  as  noble  as  she  had  always  believed  him. 

"  I  also  wanted  to  thank  you,"  said  Maggie,  "  for 
what  you  did  last  night.  Daddy  has  a  great  deal  of 
money — for  him,  you  know — invested  in  the  City  Rail 
way  Company's  stock,  and  the  loss  of  his  savings,  now 
that  he  is  old,  would  be  bitter  enough." 

This  was  news  to  Larry  and  it  startled  him.  The 
proposed  steal  of  the  Motor  Traction  Company  had 
had  very  little  to  do  with  the  fight  he  and  his  friends 
had  made.  As  he  had  informed  Mason,  Kelly's  defeat 
was  his  object  and  so  long  as  he  accomplished  this  he 
had  cared  little  for  anything  else. 

But  Kelly  and  his  hate  of  Kelly  suddenly  shrunk 
into  insignificance,  and  the  Traction  Company  began 
to  loom  up  dragon-like  with  Maggie  as  its  prospective 
victim. 

"  I  didn't  know  that  yer  father  stood  to  lose  any- 
t'ing,"  said  he.  Maggie's  face  fell;  she  had  thought 
that  perhaps  he  had  made  the  fight  partly  for  her  sake. 


THE  RAGGED  EDGE  245 

He  saw  the  change  in  her  countenance  and  hastened 
to  add :  "  He'll  come  out  all  right,  though ;  McGlory's 
against  that  job  they're  tryin'  t'work." 

"And  do  you  think  Mr.  McGlory  will  secure  the 
nomination  ?  " 

"  Sure.  They've  worked  a  couple  o'  ringers  on  us, 
but  we'll  win  out  in  spite  o'  them." 

The  others  re-entered  the  room  at  this  point. 

"  The  thing  is  as  plain  as  day,"  said  Kerrigan. 
"  There  were  only  three  votes  in  the  past  session  that 
held  them  down ;  the  figures  show  that  they  have  de 
feated  two  of  these,  and  if  this  is  the  case  and  Kelly 
is  not  beaten,  they  have  a  majority  of  one." 

"  An'  that,"  said  Owen,  "  is  as  good  as  a  hundred 
till  do  their  darty  wurk." 

"  Is  it  that  close  ?  "  asked  Larry.  "  Gee !  we'll  have 
to  hustle." 

"  They  will  seat  these  men,  Daily  and  Levitsky,  in 
the  convention,  by  hook  or  by  crook,"  remarked  Kerri 
gan.  "  And  in  that  case  they  will  have  a  majority  of 
two." 

"  But    the    two-thirds    rule,"    Mason    interrupted. 


246  THE  RAGGED  EDGE 

"  They  must  have  two-thirds  of  the  delegates  to  nomi 
nate." 

"  The  bunch  with  the  most  tallies  always  wins  out," 
said  Larry.  "  If  they  show  a  lead  in  the  runnin', 
enough  '11  flop  over  to  make  good  for  them." 

After  a  time  Larry  and  Kerrigan  arose  to  go,  while 
Mason  remained  to  talk  with  Owen. 

"Don't  forget,  Mason,"  said  Kerrigan,  "that  I'll 
want  to  see  you  to-morrow  about  old  Miss  Cassidy's 
will." 

"  God  help  uz  all  " ;  said  Owen.  "  All  av  the  owld 
neighbours  is  dyin'  off.  She  wur  a  kind  body,  too,  wur 
Miss  Cassidy,  for  all  she  wur  an  owld  maid." 

Maggie  opened  the  door  for  the  two  young  men 
as  they  departed.  She  smiled  as  she  said : 

"  You  must  come  again,  Larry,"  and  then  as  an 
after-thought,  "  And  you  too,  Mr.  Kerrigan." 

Kerrigan  looked  at  Murphy  quizzically,  as  they 
walked  down  the  street. 

"  You're  ace  high  there,  Larry." 

"  OH,  cut  it  out,"  said  Larry,  impatiently.  But  fie 
was  glad  to  Hear  it  said,  nevertheless. 

Goose  McGonagle  had  covered  his  route  quickly  tHat 


THE  RAGGED  EDGE  247 

morning  and  by  the  time  service  was  finished  in  the 
church  and  the  thin  stream  of  people  began  to  flow  into 
the  street,  he  was  standing  on  the  step  of  Regan's  cigar 
store  anxiously  awaiting  Clancy. 

The  grocer  had  stopped  to  discuss  the  primaries 
upon  the  sidewalk  in  front  of  the  church,  and  some 
little  time  elapsed  before  he  arrived  at  the  point  where 
Goose  was  awaiting  him. 

"  Hello,  Clancy,"  saluted  the  latter,  cordially. 
"  How's  t'ings  ?  "  But  without  pausing  for  a  reply  he 
took  the  elder  man  by  the  sleeve  and  led  him  out  to 
the  curb.  "  Say,"  inquired  he,  "  have  youse  noticed 
that  I've  been  hangin'  around  your  place  a  good  bit  in 
the  last  two  or  t'ree  mont's  ?  " 

"  I  have,"  answered  Clancy,  bracing  himself  stiffly. 

"  Then  I  guess  youse're  onto  the  reason." 

The  grocer's  looks  were  not  encouraging  and  Goose 
began  to  waver.  But  he  pulled  himself  together,  and 
blurted  out.  "  Say,  do  youse  mind  if  me  and  Annie 
gits  Father  Dawson  to  tie  the  knot  ?  " 

"  Is  it  yezsilf  would  take  Annie  till  Father  Daw- 
son?" 

"  Sure." 


248  THE  RAGGED  EDGE 

"  Well,  the  divil  himself  niver  witnessed  sich  a 
cheek.  An'  might  I  ax  what  yez  have  till  kape  a  wife 
on?" 

"  Why,  I  ain't  got  much  dough,"  admitted  Goose, 
ruefully.  "  But  there's  me  milk  route  and — " 

"  Arrah,  go  long  wid  ye !  There's  a  dale  av  money 
in  the  milk  business,  Goose,  me  b'y,  bud  yez  route  '11 
niver  make  ye  rich.  An'  as  for  Annie,  she'll  stay  at 
home,  an'  help  her  mother  wid  the  wurk,  as  she  hav 
always  done.  Now  don't  be  after  vexin'  me !  "  Goose 
was  about  to  protest ;  "  'twill  do  ye  no  good." 

And  the  grocer  went  on  his  way  down  the  street 
leaving  the  young  man  gazing  despondently  after  him. 
He  did  not  notice  the  approach  of  Larry  and  Kerrigan 
who  had  just  emerged  from  Dwyer's;  and  Larry 
slapped  him  on  the  back,  remarking: 

"  Yer  lookin'  green  around  the  gills.  What's 
wrong  ?  " 

"  I'm  gittin'  it  in  the  neck,  all  around,"  answered 
Goose,  savagely.  "  They're  all  givin'  me  the  dinky- 
dink  for  further  orders.  I  just  now  went  against 
Annie's  old  man,  and  he  flagged  me,  cold !  " 


THE  RAGGED  EDGE  249 

"  Oh,  was  that  Clancy  you  were  speaking  to  ?  " 
asked  Kerrigan  looking  interestedly  after  the  retreat 
ing  figure.  "  I've  got  something  to  tell  him,  but  I'll 
see  him  again.  Say,  you  knew  old  Miss  Cassidy, 
Annie's  aunt,  didn't  you,  Goose  ?  " 

"  Sure,"  answered  the  milkman.  "  She  was  me  star 
customer,  up  till  she  died  the  other  day." 

"  Well,  she  left  a  queer  kind  of  a  will."  Kerrigan 
hesitated  a  moment,  and  then  continued :  "  Say,  I  know 
how  it  is  between  you  and  Annie;  walk  down  the 
street  with  us  and  I'll  tell  you  about  it.  It  might  help 
you  somehow." 

As  they  went  along,  Kerrigan,  with  a  wealth  of 
technical  phrases,  explained  the  peculiarities  of  the 
document.  A  great  part  of  the  explanation  was  Greek 
to  McGonagle;  but  Larry  grasped  the  points  of  the 
matter,  and  by  the  time  Kerrigan  had  finished,  his  face 
was  lighted  with  suppressed  excitement.  They  paused 
before  the  door  of  the  Aurora  Borealis  Club  in  the 
midst  of  a  rapid  debate  between  the  two  latter  gentle 
men  ;  finally  Larry  said : 

"  Then  youse'll  keep  it  quiet  for  a  while  ?  " 


250  THE  RAGGED  EDGE 

"  Only  until  to-morrow  afternoon,"  said  Kerrigan, 
decisively.  "  You'll  have  to  work  quick." 

After  the  attorney  left  them,  Goose  turned  to  his 
friend,  and  inquired  bewilderingly : 

"  Say,  Murphy,  put  me  next,  will  youse.  What  kind 
o'  a  graft  have  youse  got?  Hit  it  out,  quick !  " 

Larry  leaned  against  the  frame  of  Riley's  show  win 
dow  and  laughed  exultantly;  McGonagle  frowned 
vexedly  at  his  mirth,  snapping  his  fingers  with  im 
patience. 

"  Say ! "  exciaimed  the  latter,  as  Larry  continued 
to  laugh,  "  youse  must  be  crazy.  What's  the  matter, 
anyhow  ?  " 

Larry  smothered  his  laughing,  and  took  Goose 
rapturously  by  the  lapel  of  his  coat,  proceeding  to  put 
into  words  the  idea  which  he  had  conceived  while  Ker 
rigan  was  speaking.  When  he  had  finished,  Goose  tore 
himself  away  and  executed  a  mad  acrobatic  dance 
about  the  sidewalk,  and  wound  it  up  by  throwing 'his 
arms  about  Larry  and  hugging  him  until  his  ribs 
cracked. 

"  It's  the  slickest  t'ing  I  ever  run  against,"  declared 


THE  RAGGED  EDGE  251 

he,  with  enthusiasm.  "I  always  said  you  was  foxy, 
Murphy ;  and  if  youse  work  this  right,  ye  kin  take  the 
front  seat,  and  I'll  never  say  a  word !  " 

After  a  few  moments'  consultation  they  separated 
and  Larry  made  his  way  toward  O'Hara's.  The  freight 
engines,  as  usual,  were  coughing  up  and  down  the 
tracks,  hissing  and  straining  at  their  trailing  loads. 
O'Hara  was  repairing  the  fire  brick  in  an  old  stove 
outside;  his  sleeves  were  turned  up  and  he  was  soot 
to  the  elbows. 

"  I  want  to  talk  to  youse,"  said  Larry,  as  he  paused. 

"  Yez  are  an  early  caller ! "  exclaimed  O'Hara,  de 
lightedly.  "  But,  faith,"  poking  him  in  the  ribs,  "  I 
t'ought  yez'ed  called  long  afore  this,  b'y.  She's  a 
smart  slip  av  a  girl,  Larry." 

He  led  the  young  man  through  the  store  and  back 
into  the  kitchen.  The  sisters  sprang  up  tumultuously. 

"  Larry,  asthore,"  piped  Ellen,  "  sure  an'  it's  a  glad 
heart  I  have  this  day.  Glory  be !  bud  yez  are  fitted  for 
wan  another.  Sit  down;  she'll  be  here  this  minyute; 
she  do  be  only  gone  as  far  as  the  church." 

"  I  seen  her,"  said  Larry.    "  I  was  talkin'  to  Her." 


252  THE  RAGGED  EDGE 

Bridget  shrieked  with  mirth.  "  Lave  the  young 
wans  alone !  "  cried  she.  "  They'll  see  each  other,  niver 
fear.  Arrah,  avic,  it's  the  great  b'y  yez  are." 

"  She  told  me,"  went  on  Larry,  "  all  about  it." 

"  About  how  foolish  she  wur?  "  questioned  O'Hara. 
"  She's  seen  it,  have  she.  Bud,  niver  fear  b'y,  niver 
fear." 

"  It  wasn't  Rosie  what  was  foolish,  O'Hara,  it  was 
youse.  Didn't  ye  see  that  there  was  two  ends  to  this 
t'ing.  Ye  scared  her,  and  then  t'ought  youse  was  all 
to  the  good,  didn't  ye?  But  yer  out  o'  line:  ye  can't 
play  me;  I  won't  have  it." 

"What  talk  have  ye,  Larry?" 

"  Ah,  ye  know  damn  well  what  I  mean !  Youse 
t'ink  yer  a  hot  guy,  O'Hara,  but  ye'll  buy  a  gold  brick 
some  day,  le'me  tell  youse  that.  Ye'll  go  flat  on  yer 
back  wit'out  a  cent  in  yer  pants." 

"  Divil  take  ye,  have  yez  gone  crazy !  " 

"  I'm  tellin'  ye  what's  right,  ain't  I?  " 

"  Shame  on  ye,  Larry  Murphy !  "  exclaimed  Brid 
get,  "  is  poor  Mary's  dyin'  words — " 

"  Say,  cut  that  out !  I  won't  stand  for  any  o'  youse 
draggin'  her  into  yer  little  game." 


THE  RAGGED  EDGE  253 

"  God  forgi'  yez !  "  cried  Ellen.  "  Oh,  God  forgi' 
yez." 

O'Hara  strove  to  look  impressive.  "  Iv  any  wan 
had  towld  me,"  said  he,  "  that  yez  had  no  rayspect 
for  Mary,  I  would've  towld  him  that  he  lied !  " 

Larry  laughed.  "  That's  a  slashin'  good  jolly,"  re 
marked  he.  "  It  might  have  worked,  too ;  on'y  I'm 
next  to  yer  little  scheme,"  he  paused  a  moment,  regard 
ing  O'Hara,  soberly.  "  Say,"  he  resumed  "  I  didn't 
come  to  see  youse  on'y  about  that,  but  to  do  youse  a 
good  turn  if  ye'll  on'y  let  me." 

"  What  have  ye  till  say  ?  "  inquired  O'Hara. 

"  Come  into  the  store,"  said  Larry,  with  a  glance 
at  the  two  old  women.  "  This  t'ing's  private." 

They  re-entered  the  store.  O'Hara  closed  the  door, 
while  Larry  seated  himself  upon  the  end  of  the  counter. 

"  Clancy,"  began  the  latter,  "  owes  youse  money." 

"  He  do,"  admitted  O'Hara.  "  Six  hundred  dollars, 
an'  'tis  due  the  day." 

"  What  d'youse  t'ink  his  grocery'ed  bring  if  ye  sold 
him  out  ?  " 

"  About  half  av  it,  bad  scram  till  him,"  said  O'Hara, 
viciously. 


254  THE  RAGGED  EDGE 

"  McGonagle  Owes  youse  something  too,  don't  he  ?  " 

"  Yis ;  I  loaned  him  enough  till  buy  his  milk  route,  a 
year  since,  an'  divil  the  cint  do  I  iver  expect  till  see 
av  it  again !  " 

Larry  crossed  one  leg  over  the  other,  and  clasped 
his  hands  comfortably  about  his  knee. 

"  I  kin  put  youse  next  to  a  way  to  collect  every 
cent,  interest  and  all,"  he  informed  O'Hara. 

The  second-hand  dealer's  eyes  snapped  with  interest. 
But  he  said,  doubtfully: 

"  How  can  yez  do  that  ?  Sure,  nayther  av  thim  have 
a  cint  till  bless  thimselves  wid ! " 

Larry  leaned  forward  and  began  to  explain  away 
the  other's  doubts.  He  talked  straight  to  the  point 
and  in  a  few  moments  O'Hara  brightened  up  wonder 
fully. 

"  I'll  see  Clancy  at  wanst !  "  exclaimed  he. 

"  But  there's  somethin'  else,"  said  Larry.  "  There's 
Rosie  and  Larkin ;  what  about  them  ?  " 

"  Arrah,  what  have  they  till  do  wid  it  ?  " 

"  Just  as  much  as  the  others.  Youse're  got  to  say 
'  yes '  to  them  or  you'll  slip  yer  trollev." 


THE  RAGGED  EDGE  255 

"  Hell  till  yez  sowl !  "  cried  O'Hara.  "  Is  it  a  girl  av 
mine  marry  that  dirty  Derry  spawn  av  the  divil ! " 

"  Keep  yer  shirt  on,"  advised  Larry,  evenly.  "  Don't 
make  any  wild  swings.  Money's  money,  O'Hara; 
and  ye  must  make  good  or  youse  don't  see  a  dollar." 

O'Hara  spluttered  with  rapidly  evaporating  wrath; 
and  at  length  he  cooled  down  sufficiently  to  say: 

"  Yez  are  in  the  Church  yezsilf,  Larry ;  an'  ye  know 
that  the  clargy  do  be  down  on  mixed  marriages." 

"  Say,"  said  Larry,  getting  down  from  the  counter 
and  buttoning  up  his  coat,  "  youse  might  as  well  git 
yer  money  back  by  doin'  what  I  ask  ye  to  do.  Rosie's 
twenty-one,  and  she'll  marry  Larkin  some  o'  these  days, 
anyhow.  Speak  quick ;  is  it  yes  or  no ;  I've  got  to  see 
the  delegates  afore  the  convention  opens." 

O'Hara  hesitated  for  a  moment;  then  he  burst  out. 

"  I'll  not  lose  me  bit  av  hard  arned  money  till  save 
the  trollop!  Iv  she  wants  till  make  her  bed  so,  why 
lave  her  lie  in  it,  an'  divil  do  her  good  wid  it !  " 


Chapter  XXIII 


"  He  stood  for  Dooley,  and  for  Dooley  cast  his  vote, 
I  stood  for  Conroy,  as  did  Hooly, 
There  was  Pagan  and  O'Ragan,  Flannigan  and  Hagan, 
All  bound  to  kick  the  pants  off  Michael  Dooley." 

BALLADS  OF  BACK  STREETS. 

/N  the  parlour  of  the  Precinct  Club,  McQuirk  was 
just  concluding  an  interview  with  the  political 
manager  and  lobbyist  of  the  Motor  Traction 
Company. 

"  McGlory,"  said  the  lobbyist,  "  mus'n't  think  he's 
too  big  a  fish.  Some  other  people  that  I  know  of  will 
give  the  administration  as  good  a  rake-off,  and  be 
glad  of  the  chance."  He  got  upon  his  feet,  as  their 
conference  was  over  and  shook  McQuirk  encourag 
ingly  by  the  hand.  "  Just  send  for  him,  and  talk  things 
over.  Alex's  got  good  sense ;  he'll  see  the  point." 
"  I  don't  think  he'd  come,"  said  McQuirk,  "  so  I'll 

go  over  and  see  him" 

256 


THE  RAGGED  EDGE  257 

"  All  right,"  said  the  other,  "  do  as  you  think  best. 
And,  say,  how's  Conlin  doing  with  the  vote  in  his  di 
vision  ?  " 

McQuirk  compressed  his  lips.  "  Bad,"  returned 
he.  "  They  separated  him  from  it,  clean." 

"  I  think,"  mused  the  other,  "  that  Conlin's  too  short 
for  the  police  force.  The  examining  board's  mighty 
strict  just  now,  Mac." 

The  ward  boss  grinned.  "  He  won't  like  it  much," 
said  he.  "  It's  funny,"  he  went  on,  humorously,  "  how 
much  better  tall  men  are  at  gittin'  out  the  vote  than 
short  ones." 

The  other  laughed.  "  You're  right,  Mac,"  said  he ; 
"  but  let  me  say  this,  again,  before  I  go :  Whatever  you 
do,  don't  have  a  fight  in  your  ward.  Go  into  your 
convention  and  find  the  man  that's  goin'  to  win — 
and  stand  good  with  him  if  we  can  handle  him.  The 
administration  wants  lots  of  friends  next  session." 

McQuirk  found  McGlory,  dressed  in  his  best,  at  the 
stables  in  Murphy's  Court,  superintending  the  doctor 
ing  of  a  worn-looking  horse.  The  contractor's  greet 
ing  was  stiff  and  formal. 


258  THE  RAGGED  EDGE 

"  Anyone  got  your  proxy,  Alex  ?  "  asked  the  boss, 
after  they  had  exchanged  some  general  remarks.  , 

"  I'll  go  till  the  convintion  mesilf,"  answered  Mc- 
Glory.  "  There  do  be  too  damn  much  of  this  proxy 
business." 

McQuirk  brushed  a  fly  or  two  from  a  raw  saddle 
gall  on  the  horse's  back,  and  reflected. 

"  I  understand,"  he  said  finally,  "  that  you're  out 
for  the  nomination." 

"  The  young  fellys  want  someone  till  stan'  for  it,  an' 
sure  I'm  willin'  till  try  an'  bate  Kelly.  I  don't  forget 
what  he  done  last  illection,  an'  at  the  time,  McQuirk, 
yez  said  yezself  that  he  played  ye  a  bla'gard  trick,  an' 
that  yez'ed  git  even." 

"  Oh,  hell ! "  McQuirk  waved  his  hand,  deprecat- 
ingly.  "  It  don't  do  to  hold  grudges,  Alex ;  Kelly's  a 
good  fellow." 

"  He's  not  good  enough  for  me." 

"  You're  makin'  a  mistake,"  said  the  boss. 

The  horse  stretched  his  stiff  old  limbs  in  the  sun 
light  at  the  stable  door;  McQuirk  whistled  softly;  a 
couple  of  dirty  children  from  across  the  narrow  court 
stared  at  him,  curiously. 


THE  RAGGED  EDGE  259 

"  Say,"  said  the  boss  at  length,  "  when's  your  con 
tract  out,  Alex?" 

"  It  have  a  few  mont's  yet  till  go." 

"  Think  you'll  get  it  again  ?  " 

McGlory  stiffened  up  and  bent  his  brows  at  him. 

"  I  have  hopes  av  it,"  said  he,  soberly. 

"  Well,  don't  be  foolish.  Things  happen,  sometimes, 
you  know." 

"  Look  here,  Tom  McQuirk,  is  it  threatenin'  me  yez 
are?" 

"  I  never  threaten  anybody,  I  do  things,  you  know 
that." 

"  Ye  threatened  Kelly,  an'  ye  done  nawthin'." 

"  That's  all  right.  You're  not  inside,  Alex ;  ye 
don't  know  everything.  Now  think  the  thing  over,  as 
ye  go  down  to  the  hall ;  and  take  my  advice — keep 
your  eye  on  your  bread  and  butter !  That's  all." 

The  crowd  on  Girard  Avenue  had  been  waiting  for 
over  an  hour  for  some  sign  of  a  stir,  when  a  sudden 
blare  of  brass  instruments  and  a  thundering  drubbing 
of  drums  broke  forth,  and  into  the  avenue  wheeled 
the  Emmet  Band,  Eddie  Brennen  at  its  head,  splendid 
in  a  scarlet  coat  and  towering  shako,  his  drum-major's 


260  THE  RAGGED  EDGE 

staff  whirling  about  his  head  like  a  metallic  circle. 
Hogan,  the  policeman,  darted  into  the  street  with  up 
lifted  club,  to  hold  back  the  teams  from  the  cross 
streets.  The  throng  ranged  quickly  along  the  curb; 
from  the  adjacent  alleys  poured  a  horde  of  whooping 
children;  draymen  pulled  up  their  nags  in  order  to 
watch  the  passing  cohorts.  Everyone  knew  that  the 
gathering  of  the  clans  had  begun. 

It  was  the  anti-Kelly  faction,  and  they  swung  along 
behind  the  drums  like  veterans.  Those  of  them  who 
were  to  sit  in  the  convention  wore  huge  scarlet  badges 
upon  their  breasts.  Larry  Murphy,  in  all  the  glory  of 
a  high  silk  hat,  borrowed  from  one  of  McGrath's  hack 
drivers,  marched  at  the  head  of  the  column,  and  his 
aids,  Nolan  and  Ferguson,  were  immediately  behind 
him. 

"  Be  me  soul !  "  ejaculated  the  grocer,  "  bud  young 
Brennen  kin  twirl  his  bit  av  a  stick,  so  he  kin.  An' 
luk  at  the  walk  av  Murphy ;  suf e  yez'ed  t'ink  he  had 
a  mortgage  on  the  City  Hall !  " 

"  It  puts  me  in  mind,"  remarked  Tim  Burns ;  "  av 
the  owld  days  whin  we  stepped  till  the  music  oursilves, 
Clancy,  on  Paddy's  day,  beyant  on  Broad  Street." 


THE  RAGGED  EDGE  261 

"  True  for  ye,  Tim,  an'  we  wid  the  axes  on  the 
shoulders  av  uz,  an'  the  bokays,  an'  the  strings  av 
doughnuts  till  ate  on  the  march.  Faith  an'  the  young 
fellys  know  nawthin'  av  the  harp  an'  the  sunburst ;  an' 
it's  withered  in  the  hearts  av  most  av  the  owld  wans  too, 
I'm  thinkin'.  God  luk  down  on  uz !  Till  think  av  all  the 
talk  there  wur  av  the  owld  land,  then,  an'  the  little 
we  hear  av  it  now.  Divil  a  green  flag  d'yez  see  hangin' 
out  av  the  windys  on  the  seventeenth  av  March;  an' 
the  Land  League  do  be  forgotten.  The  owld  blood's 
growin'  thin,  Tim — thin  as  water!" 

About  the  doors  of  the  convention  hall,  the  same 
hall  where  the  Aurora  Borealis  Club  had  held  their 
ball,  the  scene  was  one  of  extreme  animation.  The 
groups  of  high-hatted,  tobacco-chewing  men,  seemed 
possessed  by  demons  of  movement  and  noise.  They 
laughed  with  the  full  strength  of  their  chests,  waved 
their  arms  wildly  and  swore  joyously,  with  the  uncon 
scious  finish  of  experts.  Kelly  and  his  henchmen 
had  already  arrived;  he  had  been  greeted  as  a  hero 
by  his  own  faction  and  now  stood  in  the  hallway  sur 
rounded  by  a  solid  circle  of  supporters.  Gratten  Haley 
who  had  been  named  for  school  director  the  night  be- 


THE  RAGGED  EDGE 

fore  in  a  convention  held  in  a  back  kitchen  on  Second 
Street,  approached  Owen  Dwyer. 

"  Has  McQuirk  got  here  yet  ?  "  asked  Haley. 

"  I  haven't  seen  him.  Sure,  Gratten,  it's  not  at  a 
side  issue  like  this  he'd  be,  whin  there's  McAteer's 
nomination  for  Congress  till  be  looked  after." 

"  That's  where  you  make  your  little  old  mistake," 
smiled  Mr.  Haley.  "  This  is  the  only  fight  in  town ; 
all  the  others  is  cinched ;  and  Mac'll  be  on  the  ground 
to  keep  the  gang  in  line." 

"  An'  tell  me,  Gratten;  d'yez  t'ink  Kelly  will  win?  " 

"  Ye  can  search  me !  McQuirk  says  yes ;  but  I 
wouldn't  put  me  roll  on  it,  at  that.  It  runs  t'rough 
me  that  there'll  be  doin's  this  mornin',  and  if  Jim 
Kelly  wins,  it'll  be  a  mix  for  yer  life.  And  if  he  goes 
under,  he'll  fall  like  a  rotten  wall ! " 

"  1  hear  the  young  fellys'll  be  contestin'  Tim  Daily 
an'  what's-his-name  that  kapes  the  policy  shop.  Young 
Kerrigan  do  be  after  tellin'  me  that  they  got  the  papers 
by  a  trick." 

Owen  was  innocence  personified;  he  knew  that 
Haley  possessed  information  that  would  be  of  use. 

"  Oh,  they'll  contest  'em,  all  right,"  laughed  Haley. 


THE  RAGGED  EDGE  263 

"  Here  comes  the  kickers !  "  shouted  Martin  Kelly. 
"  The  marks  is  gotta  band,  too.  Don't  they  look 
gay?" 

The  anti-Kellyites  had  swept  around  the  corner  with 
their  band  playing  a  "  cake-walk  "  march,  their  flags 
waving  and  themselves  cheering  lustily.  O'Connor, 
the  undertaker,  had  just  arrived  in  one  of  his  own 
hacks  and  now  shook  hands  with  his  friends. 

"  The  young  fellas,"  smiled  O'Connor,  "  bate  the 
divil  whin  they  cut  loose.  Sure,  here  they  are  with  the 
Emmet  Band  till  the  fore,  ready  till  nail  Kelly's  hide 
on  the  back  dure.  Well,  well,  an'  so  Alex  McGlory'll 
go  afore  the  convention  ?  " 

"  So  I've  heard,"  said  one  of  his  friends.  "  Just 
to  t'ink  av  '  McGlory  an'  clane  streets '  as  a  campaign 
cry."  The  speaker  paused,  delighted  with  the  shout 
that  greeted  his  sally ;  then  he  added  "  Here  comes 
Gartenheim,  O'Connor ;  sure  this  time  a  few  years  ago 
yezsilf  an*  him  wur  at  it,  hard  enough." 

O'Connor  smiled  patronizingly,  and  reared  his  head 
in  his  most  dignified  fashion ;  Gartenheim,  stout,  rosy 
and  smiling  was  advancing  toward  him  through  a  lane 
of  outstretched  hands. 


264  THE  RAGGED  EDGE 

"  Gartenheim,  how  are  ye?  " 

"  O'Connor,  I'm  glad  to  see  you !  " 

And  the  ancient  foes  grasped  each  other  by  the 
hand,  while  the  gaping  spectators  swore  soft  oaths  of 
wonder. 

The  band  had  ceased  playing;  the  marchers  were 
halted  in  the  street  and  this  reconciliation  was  in  plain 
view.  Roddy  Ferguson  swung  his  derby  hat  above  his 
head,  shouting: 

"  Gents,  t'ree  cheers  for  Gartenheim  and  O'Con 
nor!" 

A  whirlwind  of  shrieks  swept  over  the  crowd,  sus 
tained  until  the  veins  of  their  necks  swelled  to  burst 
ing  and  their  faces  turned  purple;  sticks,  hats  and 
flags  were  tossed  wildly  in  the  air. 

The  two  gentlemen  whose  public  burial  of  the 
hatchet  occasioned  this  outburst,  bowed  and  smiled 
genially  and  once  more  shook  hands,  which  had  the 
effect  of  renewing  the  tumult.  James  Kelly  and  his 
supporters  gazed  glumly  on ;  the  delirious  display  was 
not  pleasant  to  them. 

"  Bloody  wars,"  breathed  Owen  in  Haley's  ear, 
"  d'yez  see  that,  Grattan  ?  They've  made  up." 


THE  RAGGED  EDGE  265 

"  It  looks  bad  for  Kelly,"  admitted  Mr.  Haley;  "  and 
he  don't  like  it  for  a  cent." 

"  Here's  them  two  old  guys  doin'  the  love  feast 
stunt,"  sneered  young  Kelly,  "  right  out  in  the  open. 
It's  bin  fixed  to  cop  votes  with;  a  blind  man  kin  see 
that.  It  makes  me  sick !  " 

"  We'll  do  that  all  right,"  said  Goose  McGonagle ; 
"  youse'll  all  be  a  sick  lot  o'  ducks  after  we  slam 
youse  a  few." 

The  procession  had  broken  ranks ;  the  members  of 
the  band  had  blown  themselves  breathless  and  beaten 
their  arms  helpless,  and  now  dispersed  into  saloons  ad 
jacent  to  the  hall  to  seek  refreshment.  The  delegates, 
by  degrees,  began  to  drift  upstairs  to  the  room  where 
the  convention  was  to  be  held.  Here  a  band,  perched 
in  a  little  gallery  at  the  back,  discoursed  music ;  a  flag 
hung  from  every  point  where  it  was  possible  to  drive 
a  nail;  the  platform  stood  at  the  far  end  holding  an 
array  of  chairs  and  tables. 

Dick  Nolan  and  Roddy  Ferguson,  who  formed  the 
connecting  links  between  the  formerly  hostile  factions 
of  Gartenheim  and  O'Connor,  were  working  desper 
ately  with  delegates;  they  felt  that  it  depended  upon 


266  THE  RAGGED  EDGE 

them  to  secure  a  solid  vote  from  these  two  bodies,  and 
they  spared  themselves  no  effort.  Neither  the  under 
taker  nor  the  contractor  had  been  active  in  the  canvass, 
so  their  personal  followings  were  not  heavy  in  the 
convention ;  but  it  served  to  give  the  anti-Kelly  faction 
a  slight  advantage  that  they  were  compelled  to  exert 
themselves  to  the  utmost  to  sustain.  Each  man  in  the 
hall  with  a  ballot  to  cast  was  under  pressure  to  vote 
against  them,  and  the  pressure  would  be  increased  a 
hundred-fold  when  McQuirk  got  upon  the  ground. 

Gartenheim  had  Larry  Murphy  in  a  corner  giving 
him  some  fatherly  advice;  O'Connor  stood  listening, 
with  approving  nods ;  Kerrigan,  red-faced  and  perspir 
ing,  came  bustling  up. 

"  Gentlemen,"  asked  he,  "  who  are  you  for,  for  chair 
man?" 

"  Who  do  you  want  ?  "  asked  Gartenheim. 

"  Well,  I'd  like  to  see  Pete  Comisky  hold  the  office. 
He's  a  straight  man." 

"  Peter's  all  right,"  said  O'Connor. 

"Who  do  you  say,  Larry?"  inquired  Kerrigan. 

"  Grat  Haley." 

"  Haley ! "     Kerrigan    stared     at    him    amazedly. 


THE  RAGGED  EDGE  267 

"  Haley !  Why  you're  mad.  Haley  would  rule 
against  us  every  time." 

"  He  might — if  we  let  him.  It's  just  like  this. 
Haley's  got  the  chairmanship  cinched ;  no  one  else  can 
win  against  him;  I've  been  over  the  bunch,  and  I 
know."  Larry  took  his  cigar  from  his  mouth  and 
pointed  it  at  Kerrigan,  impressively.  "  The  chairman 
ship's  the  first  test  o'  strength.  Make  a  fight  on  that 
and  lose,  and  youse  might  as  well  chuck  up  the 
sponge,  on  the  spot.  We've  got  grafters  on  our  side, 
Johnnie,  and  you  know  it;  if  they  see  us  shake  they'll 
fly  the  coop." 

"  That  sounds  good,"  admitted  Kerrigan.  "  What 
do  you  suggest?" 

"  We'll  t'row  our  vote  to  Haley ;  they  can't  see  our 
hand  then ;  and  we'll  hold  all  our  people  for  the  real 
work." 

"  But  Daily  and  Levitsky !  "  remonstrated  Kerrigan. 
He'll  seat  them,  they'll  vote  and  they  have  no  right !  " 

"  They  kin  seat  all  they  want,"  determinedly,  "  but 
they  don't  vote  for  Kelly." 

"  You're  a  bolitician,  Larry,"  said  Gartenheim,  ad 
miringly.  "Dot's  a  good  scheme,  ain'd  it?" 


268  THE  RAGGED  EDGE 

"  Say,  Larry,"  said  Roddy  Ferguson,  allowing  a 
crowd  of  delegates  to  precede  him  to  the  stairs,  "  I'm 
goin'  out  to  t'row  a  couple  o'  beers  into  this  gang. 
Look  out  for  Nolan  while  I'm  out,  will  ye?  Don't  let 
him  get  near  Mart  Kelly." 

"What's  on  the  hooks?" 

"  That's  all  right;  just  keep  an  eye  on  him;  we  don't 
want  no  trouble." 

"  There's  McQuirk,"  said  Kerrigan,  as  that  gentle 
man  entered  and  shook  old  Kelly's  hand  with  theatrical 
warmth.  A  crush  of  delegates  gathered  about  the  boss, 
who  seemed  in  high  good  humour.  He  stooped  over 
and  whispered  something  in  Kelly's  ear,  and  the  saloon 
keeper  laughed  uproariously,  his  face  growing  mottled 
with  excitement,  his  hands  gesticulating  madly. 

"  We  have  thim !  "  vociferated  the  candidate,  glow 
ing  upon  his  supporters  like  a  spotted  sun ;  "  we  have 
thim  on  the  run,  so  we  have.  Begorry,  McQuirk,  it's 
at  school  they  shud  be  instead  av  playin'  at 
politics !  " 

"  Keep  it  quiet,"  advised  McQuirk ;  "  keep  it  quiet, 
and  let's  get  down  to  business."  He  took  Haley  aside. 
"  How  is  it  goin'  ?  "  questioned  he. 


THE  RAGGED  EDGE  269 

"All  to  the  good,"  answered  Mr.  Haley.  "The 
chairmanship's  ourn.  There  ain't  no  one  else  but  me 
in  sight !  " 

The  boss  laughed :  "  The  old  man'll  show  'em  a  few 
tricks,"  said  he  complacently.  "  I  think  they  expected 
me  to  lay  down,  eh  ?  " 

After  a  time  everything  was  in  readiness ;  the  tem 
porary  chairman  mounted  the  platform ;  the  scribes  of 
the  gathering  took  their  seats  and  the  convention  came 
to  order. 

"  Gentlemen,"  said  the  temporary  chairman,  advanc 
ing  to  the  edge  of  the  platform,  "  we  are  called  to 
gether  this  morning  to  name  a  man  for  the  important 
office  of  selectman.  I  feel  that — " 

"  Chop  it  off,"  advised  McGonagle. 

"  Order !  Order !  "  came  from  different  parts  of  the 
house. 

The  temporary  chairman  was  an  elderly  man,  little 
known  and  with  a  colourless  manner.  He  endeavoured 
to  go  on  with  his  remarks  but  the  volume  of  interrup 
tion  steadily  increased. 

"  We  will  proceed  with  the  business  of  electing  a 
chairman,"  said  he  at  length. 


2yo  THE  RAGGED  EDGE 

McQuirk  was  on  his  feet  in  an  instant;  Larry  fol 
lowed,  also  demanding  recognition. 

"  McQuirk,"  said  the  chairman. 

"  I  give  you,"  said  the  boss,  "  the  name  of  Gratten 
Haley,  of  the  nineteenth  division,  for  chairman." 

The  supporters  of  Kelly  leaped  to  their  feet  with 
shrieking  acclaim ;  it  was  some  moments  before  Larry 
could  be  heard. 

"  I  second  the  nomination  of  Mr.  Haley,"  said  he, 
"  and  move  that  his  'lection  to  the  chair  be  made  unan 
imous  ! " 

Dead  silence  followed.  McQuirk  looked  dumb 
founded;  Larry  smiled  sweetly  at  him  over  the  heads 
of  the  intervening  delegates.  The  vote  was  a  rising 
one,  and  the  temporary  chairman  surrendered  the  gavel 
to  Haley. 

McQuirk  was  dazed,  but  respectful ;  old  Kelly  smiled 
broadly  and  rubbed  his  hands  gleefully ;  young  Murphy 
moved  among  the  opposition  like  a  spirit  of  wisdom. 

McQuirk  once  more  arose.  "  Let's  keep  things  mov 
ing,"  said  he.  "  There  has  been  no  protest  against  any 
one  sitting  in  the  convention,  with  the  exception  of 


THE  RAGGED  EDGE  271 

Mr.  Daily  and  Mr.  Levitsky.  We  will  now  look  into 
their  cases." 

"  I  wouldn't,"  sneered  McGonagle,  "  take  too  much 
work  on  me  shoulders,  if  I  was  youse.  I'd  let  the  chair 
man  do  a  little." 

"  Shut  up." 

"Fire  him  out!" 

"  I'd  like,"  growled  Goose,  "  to  see  any  of  youse  try 
to  fire  me  out." 

"  Cheese  it ;  sit  down,  and  keep  yer  shirt  on !  " 
warned  Larry,  leaning  forward,  "  if  youse  make 
trouble  now,  I'll  put  a  muzzle  on  ye." 

Johnnie  Kerrigan  was  entrusted  with  the  business  of 
protesting  against  the  seating  of  Levitsky  and  Daily; 
but  Haley,  as  was  expected,  carried  matters  with  a 
high  hand,  and  overruled  him  at  all  points. 

"  All  right,"  said  Kerrigan,  "  you  can  let  'em  vote 
if  you  want  to,  and  I  know  you  want  to ;  you  can  use 
'em  in  your  business." 

The  Kellyites  were  triumphant  and  voiced  it  until 
the  hall  was  filled  with  their  clamour. 

"  We've  got  'em  burnt  to  the  ground !  "  declared 


272  THE  RAGGED  EDGE 

Martin  Kelly.  "  Why,  the  mugs  capped  the  game  for 
us !  They  must  be  rank  suckers." 

The  roll  was  called  amid  much  tumult;  then  Chair 
man  Haley  hammered  with  his  gavel  for  order;  when 
something  like  silence  had  been  obtained,  he  said : 

"  Gentlemen,  our  object  is  to  get  done  with  the 
business  in  hand  as  soon  as  we  can.  We  will,  there 
fore,  pass  over  all  unnecessary  forms  and  go  into  the 
matter  of  nominating  our  candidate  at  once." 

Mr.  Haley  had  carefully  rehearsed  this  little  speech 
during  those  moments  when  there  was  nothing  doing 
behind  the  bar  over  which  he  presided,  and  was  much 
pleased  with  the  applause  which  it  provoked.  He 
added : 

"  The  chair  recognizes  Mr.  Shulze." 

Mr.  Shulze  arose  amid  much  disorder  on  the  part 
of  the  insurgents.  By  virtue  of  his  ability  to  deliver 
a  certain  amount  of  goods  each  election  Mr.  Shulze 
held  a  position  in  the  post-office;  he  had  a  voice  like 
a  megaphone,  and  a  fixed  set  of  gestures  that  resembled 
the  jerkings  of  an  automatic  doll.  In  tones  that  shook 
the  windows  he  placed  the  elder  Kelly  in  nomination, 
s.at  down  amid  a  whirlwind  of  cheers, 


THE  RAGGED  EDGE  273 

Johnnie  Kerrigan  got  up  to  name  McGlory ;  he  had 
not  spoken  a  dozen  words  before  the  contractor  and 
his  son  Jerry,  rushed  into  the  hall  and  beckoned  the 
speaker  and  Larry  into  an  anteroom.  The  old  man 
was  pale  and  agitated;  Jerry  acted  like  a  man 
dazed. 

"  What's  the  graft?  "  asked  Larry. 

"  He's  quit  at  the  post !  "  exclaimed  Jerry.  "  He's 
laid  down  like  a  dub." 

"  No !  "  cried  the  two  young  men,  aghast. 

"  I'm  tellin'  youse,  ain't  I.  From  a  kid  up,"  added 
Jerry,  bitterly,  "  I  t'ought  the  old  gent  was  an  ace, 
but  now  I  find  he's  on'y  a  two-spot !  Say,  I  t'row  up 
the  towel ;  I'll  never  stack  against  the  bunch  again." 

Kerrigan  grasped  the  elder  man's  arm.  "  Why,  Mc 
Glory,"  protested  he,  "  you're  not  going  to  shirk  at  the 
last  moment,  are  you  ?  " 

"  I'm  sorry,"  said  the  contractor,  "  but  I  can't  alkr.v 
me  name  till  be  used."  He  was  trembling  under  the 
stress  of  the  moment  and  looked  appealingly  from 
one  to  the  other.  "  Don't  blame  me  too  much,"  im 
plored  he.  "  I  have  too  much  at  stake,  b'ys.  Sure  iy  I 
make  the  fight,  it's  a  ruint  man  I'd  be," 


274  THE  RAGGED  EDGE 

There  was  a  pause ;  Jerry  was  viciously  biting  at  his 
nails;  Larry  was  fighting  visibly  to  keep  down  his 
anger;  from  the  main  hall  came  the  subdued  roar  of 
many  voices. 

"  Afore  God !  "  exclaimed  the  contractor,  "  I  niver 
t'ought  till  do  the  like  av  this !  But  they  have  me  on 
the  hip,  divil  take  thim,  and  I  can  do  no  better." 

"  Let  'em  do  youse  outa  the  contract,"  rapped  out  his 
son.  "  Let  the  whole  shootin'  match  go  t'ell !  Youse 
can  do  better'n  scratch  streets." 

"  Shut  yer  mouth,"  roared  McGlory.  "  Don't  be 
stanin'  there  talkin'  till  me  like  that.  Lose  the  con 
tract  is  it,  with  Matthew  Fitzmaurice  hoi  din'  a  paper 
agin  me  beyant  in  his  rale  estate  office?  Divil  a  long 
it's  stay  in  his  safe  iv  he  knowed  I'd  no  contract.  Gawd 
help  yez  for  a  fool !  Is  it  till  the  La  Salle  College  yez 
cud  have  gone,  iv  it  hadn't  been  for  the  contract?  An' 
how  many  av  thim  young  fellys  wid  the  flowers  in 
their  coats  'ed  call  till  see  yez  sister  av  a  Sunday  night, 
widout  it  ?  Tell  me  that,  ye  igit !  " 

"  Ease  up,"  soothed  Kerrigan ;  "  I  wouldn't  make 
any  trouble  between  you  for  the  world." 


THE  RAGGED  EDGE  275 

"  Then  this  goes  ?  "  said  Larry. 

"  I  have  sorra  another  word  till  say,"  answered  Mc- 
Glory. 

Larry  turned  to  Kerrigan.  "  D'youse  see  anyt'ing?  " 
asked  he.  "  Is  it  our  finish  ?  " 

"  Not  in  a  thousand  years !  "  retorted  the  young 
attorney.  "  Find  another  man  for  the  running ;  I'll  go 
in  there  an'  do  some  spell-binding  while  you  canvass 
the  crowd.  If  Gartenheim'll  swing  in  line  for  O'Con 
nor,  give  me  the  word  and  I'll  name  him." 

They  left  the  McGlorys  engaged  in  a  wordy  duel, 
and  rushed  back  into  the  main  hall.  McQuirk,  the 
Kellys  and  some  others  of  their  adherents  were  gath 
ered  in  the  doorway  leading  into  the  entry ;  they  greeted 
the  young  men  with  a  laugh. 

"  All  to  the  bad,  eh  ?  "  sneered  Martin.  "  Yer  star 
nag's  on'y  a  sellin'  plater." 

"What'd  I  tell  ye,  boys,"  said  McQuirk  with  the 
easy  assurance  of  a  man  who  has  won  his  fight. 
"  There's  only  one  man.  We've  got  the  nomination 
safe,  ye  can  see  that.  Now  don't  be  sore-heads;  be 
nice,  clean  boys,  an'  ye  won't  miss  anything." 


276  THE  RAGGED  EDGE 

Kerrigan  hurried  into  the  convention  hall  without 
replying;  but  Larry  turned  on  the  boss  like  a  sullen 
bear. 

"  Don't  josh  us,  McQuirk,"  warned  he,  "  because  we 
won't  stand  for  it.  Youse  people  ain't  scooped  the 
pot  yet,  so  don't  give  yerself  the  glad  hand." 

"  Come,  come,"  smiled  McQuirk,  winking  at  his  co- 
labourers,  "  don't  take  it  so  hard.  Alex  McGlory 
knows  where  he  stands,  and  he  shows  good  sense 
when  he  gets  out  from  under." 

"  Don't  take  me  for  a  mark !  "  flared  Murphy,  shov 
ing  his  head  forward,  his  jaw  protruding,  wickedly. 
"  We  kin  split  the  shootin'  match  wide  open,  McQuirk, 
and  afore  we  let  youse  git  the  bulge  with  Kelly,  we'll 
do  it.  If  youse  are  wise,  ye'll  write  that  on  yer  cuff." 

He  rushed  into  the  convention  hall,  hot  with  anger; 
Nolan,  Ferguson  and  others  of  his  lieutenants  were 
quickly  enlightened  as  to  the  state  of  affairs,  and  they 
passed  the  word  among  the  others  that  some  one  other 
than  McGlory  would  be  named,  at  the  same  time  work 
ing  zealously  to  allay  the  feeling  of  insecurity  that  these 
tidings  naturally  aroused. 

Kerrigan  was  speaking  and  the  convention  was  giv 


THE  RAGGED  EDGE  277 

ing  him  its  undivided  attention.  The  youthful  attorney 
possessed  that  self-assured  poise  and  explosive  style 
that  captures  such  gatherings ;  and  then  he  was  easily 
the  most  popular  young  man  in  the  ward,  and  his  fath 
er's  saloon  was  a  well-known  place  of  resort.  Most  of 
the  younger  men  among  the  delegates  had  gone  to 
school  with  him,  and  though  they,  for  the  most  part, 
were  day-labourers  and  Johnnie  had  his  name  painted 
upon  a  ground-glass  door  in  a  down-town  office  build 
ing,  he  had  always  kept  up  old  friendships  and  clung  to 
old  surroundings.  As  one  of  his  friends  said: 

"  Johnnie's  a  high  guy,  but  he's  as  common  as  dirt ; 
he  don't  have  to  put  ice  in  his  hat  to  keep  his  head 
from  swellin'.  When  youse  stack  up  against  him  on 
the  street,  he's  always  got  the  glad  hand  for  youse, 
and  a  cigar  what  ain't  workin'." 

It  was  this  democratic  quality  that  made  him  liked 
and  secured  him  attention  from  the  delegates  when  he 
arose  to  deliver  the  address  that  was  to  give  Larry  an 
opportunity  to  select  a  new  candidate. 

These  facts  came  to  Larry  as  he  paused  for  a  mo 
ment  to  listen ;  and  like  one  inspired  he  proceeded  tq 
consult  Ferguson  and  Nolan, 


278  THE  RAGGED  EDGE 

"  Somethin's  gotta  be  done,  and  done  quick,"  said 
he.  "  Now  look  here,  if  I  go  against  Gartenheim  and 
ask  him  to  turn  in  for  O'Connor,  what '11  he  say?  " 

"  He'll  say,  '  nay,  nay,  Pauline ! '  "  exclaimed  Fergu 
son. 

"  Youse'll  queer  the  game  if  youse  do  that,"  pro 
tested  Nolan. 

"  That's  what  I  t'ought.  And  how  about  O'Connor 
for  Gartenheim  ?  " 

"  There's  no  difference,"  said  Nolan.  "  If  one  was 
ast  to  work  for  the  other  he'd  git  dead  wise  all  of  a 
sudden  and  t'ink  he  was  bein'  worked  for  a  good  t'ing, 
and  havin'  a  con  game  slung  into  him  from  the  start ! 
It  won't  do ;  take  it  from  me." 

"  Then  I've  gotta  bran'  new  graft ! "  exclaimed 
Larry  starting  up  the  aisle. 

"What  is  it?"  asked  Ferguson,  following  him,  his 
hand  upon  his  sleeve. 

"  Sit  down  and  hold  yer  breath ;  youse'll  be  wise 
in  a  minute." 

Larry  said  something  to  Kerrigan  in  a  low  tone. 
Johnnie  looked  surprised ;  he  closed  his  remarks 


THE  RAGGED  EDGE  279 

abruptly  and  sat  down,  while  Larry  nodded  to  the  chair 
for  recognition.  Upon  obtaining  this  he  wasted  no 
words. 

"  Gentlemen,"  said  he,  "  I'm  goin'  to  put  in  nomina 
tion  a  man  that  youse  can  all  vote  for."  He  paused  a 
moment  and  glanced  around  at  the  expectant  faces ;  he 
raised  both  arms,  with  a  sweep  and  shouted :  "  Mr. 
John  Kerrigan,  of  the  I2th  Division !  " 

For  an  instant  there  was  dead  silence;  then  the 
anti-Kellyites  came  to  their  feet  with  an  ear-splitting 
scream  of  delight.  Kerrigan  sprang  to  Larry's  side 
protesting  excitedly ;  men  stood  upon  chairs  and  beat 
the  backs  of  their  neighbours ;  pandemonium  reigned. 
Kerrigan  was  ringed  in  by  dozens  of  outstretched 
hands ;  his  appeals  for  a  hearing  were  drowned  by  the 
clamour  of  his  partisans. 

James  Kelly  was  stricken  mute;  a  moment  before  he 
had  seen  victory  in  his  grasp ;  now  it  had  eluded  him 
and  was  dancing  away  in  the  distance.  McQuirk 
looked  on  at  the  scene  of  disorder,  astonished  at 
Larry's  act.  He  had  expected  to  hear  the  name  of  a 
man  steeped  in  the  factional  differences  of  the  ward 


280  THE  RAGGED  EDGE 

— a  man  easily  beaten — and  now  he  was  at  a  loss,  for 
here  was  one  not  only  without  political  enemies  but 
with  fast  friends  in  every  faction  of  the  party. 

"  It  ain't  a  half-bad  move,"  said  the  boss  to  himself, 
angry,  but  forced  to  admiration.  "  If  I  wasn't  sure 
about  McGlory,  I'd  say  the  thing  was  fixed." 

Haley  hammered  vigorously  for  order ;  old  Kelly  and 
his  friends  were  gathered  in  a  clump,  shouting  their 
observations  in  each  other's  ears;  Larry  stood  near 
the  platform,  frantically  endeavouring  to  attract  the 
chairman's  attention,  and  turning  every  moment  to 
swear  at  his  friends  for  their  uproar.  He  saw  that  the 
moment  for  action  was  at  hand ;  the  surprise  had  been 
sprung  and  had  given  his  faction  heart,  and  he  de 
termined  to  strike  again  while  they  were  white  hot. 
Gradually  the  noise  began  to  settle;  and,  though  now 
and  then  a  cheer  volleyed  across  the  hall,  his  voice 
could  be  heard : 

"  A  vote,"  stormed  he,  "  a  vote." 

The  cry  was  taken  up  by  a  dozen  voices. 

"  Vote!  Vote !  "  vociferated  the  insurgents.  "  Take 
the  vote !  " 

This,  at  a  nod  from  McQuirk,  Haley  proceeded  to 


THE  RAGGED  EDGE  281 

do ;  the  secretary  began  to  read  off  the  names,  and  the 
delegates  answered  "  Kelly "  or  Kerrigan "  as  the 
case  might  be.  As  the  vote  began,  a  concerted  move 
ment  of  a  dozen  young  men,  led  by  Larry  and  Mc- 
Gonagle,  was  made  toward  the  point  where  Daily  and 
Levitsky  were  sitting. 

"  Changed  yer  mind,  Daily?  "  questioned  Larry. 

"  Not  on  yer  life,"  answered  Daily,  but  with  an  un 
easy  glance  about  him.  He  saw  in  their  faces  that  they 
were  ready  for  anything ;  and  that  they  were  awkward 
men  to  handle,  he  knew,  partly  from  experience,  partly 
by  hearsay. 

"  I  t'ink  youse'll  turn  in  for  Kerrigan  when  they 
hand  out  yer  name."  Larry  leaned  carelessly  upon  the 
back  of  Daily's  chair,  and  spoke  very  quietly. 

"  It's  just  as  easy  to  say  Kerrigan  as  Kelly,"  put  in 
McGonagle,  "  an'  I  guess  Levitsky'll  say  it,  too,  when 
it's  up  to  him." 

"  I  wut  like  to  oblitch  your — "  began  the  policy- 
writer. 

"Ah,  rats!"  returned  McGonagle,  savagely. 
"  Youse'll  chirp  for  Kerrigan,  or  the  next  stunt  youse'll 
do'll  be  at  the  morgue,  stretchin'  slabs ! " 


282  THE  RAGGED  EDGE 

"  Play  light,  Goose,"  advised  Larry,  "  I  t'ink  they'll 
be  in  line." 

News  of  the  state  of  affairs  reached  the  elder  Kelly 
as  he  stood  talking  to  McQuirk  at  the  far  side  of  the 
room;  and  they  hurried  toward  the  storm  centre  to 
prevent  the  coercion  of  their  vote.  Because  of  some 
trifling  hitch  the  polling  of  the  delegates  had  stopped 
for  the  time  being,  and  Haley  and  the  secretary 
were  wrangling  with  a  cluster  of  men  about  the 
platform. 

A  man  rushed  up  the  aisle  and  stopped  McQuirk,  at 
the  same  time  handing  him  a  card. 

"  He  wants  to  see  youse  right  away,"  said  the 
Stranger. 

"  Go  ahead  over  and  talk  to  them,  Kelly,"  said  Mc 
Quirk.  "  I've  got  to  go  out  for  a  second." 

"  What's  this,"  asked  Kelly,  upon  reaching  the  spot 
where  Larry  and  his  friends  were  gathered  behind  the 
chairs  of  the  two  protested  delegates.  "  What  call  have 
yez  till  be  threatenin'  these  two  min  ?  " 

"  Who's  threatenin'  'em  ?  "  asked  McGonagle,  inno 
cently. 


THE  RAGGED  EDGE  283 

"  You  are,  ye  bla'gard  1 "  exclaimed  the  saloonkeeper, 
hotly.  "  You  an'  the  likes  av  yez.  Divil  take  me,  bud 
youse'll  sup  sorra  for  it,  ye  thaves  av  the  world." 

"  Ah,  go  scratch  yer  head,"  elegantly  advised  Larry. 
"  Don't  cut  loose  with  any  o'  yer  fireworks,  Kelly ; 
youse're  carryin'  weight  for  age  and  don't  work  fast 
enough  to  mix  it  with  this  bunch." 

"  Youse'd  t'ink,"  said  Martin  Kelly,  coming  to  the 
aid  of  his  father,  "that  youse  people  run  the  shack, 
and  no  other  body  has  a  look  in." 

His  proximity  and  the  sound  of  his  voice  had  an  im 
mediate  effect  upon  Dick  Nolan ;  his  sister's  shame  and 
young  Kelly's  brutality  on  the  night  of  the  ball  had 
burned  themselves  into  his  brain. 

"  Let  me  plug  him,"  gasped  Nolan,  his  face  as  white 
as  death,  his  whole  frame  shaking  with  an  overwhelm 
ing  desire  for  revenge.  He  was  struggling  as  he 
spoke  in  the  arms  of  Roddy  Ferguson;  but  Roddy 
dragged  him  away. 

"  Don't  make  a  mess  of  it,"  implored  Roddy.  "  If 
youse  jump  him  now  ye'll  put  the  whole  snap  on  the 
bum,  maybe." 


284  THE  RAGGED  EDGE 

"  What's  eatin'  Nolan  ?  "  asked  McGonagle,  won- 
deringly. 

"  He's  leary  on  Kelly,  youse  can  bank  on  that," 
answered  Casey.  "  From  the  cracks  he  made  to  me  a 
while  ago,  he's  goin'  to  put  him  out  o'  business.  I 
don't  know  what  he's  sore  for." 

The  commotion  attracted  Haley's  attention  and  he 
commenced  to  sound  his  gavel  and  cry  for  order.  The 
roll-call  recommenced  and  just  as  Kelly  turned  to  ac 
quaint  the  chairman  with  the  attempt  being  made  upon 
Daily,  that  gentleman's  name  was  reached. 

"  Now  then !  "  grated  Larry.  The  circle  narrowed 
about  Daily  as  he  arose  to  his  feet.  Martin  Kelly  at 
tempted  to  rally  his  friends ;  but  the  determined  looks 
of  the  cordon  of  young  men  and  Daily's  unpopularity 
caused  it  to  result  in  nothing  more  than  a  scattering 
fire  of  protest. 

Daily  swallowed  several  times,  and  his  voice  was 
somewhat  husky,  as  he  said: 

"  I've  got  this  to  say :  As  I  was  'lected  by  the  parties 
against  Mr.  Kelly,  I  t'ink  it's  best  for  me  to  save  me 
reputation  by  votin'  for  Kerrigan." 

"  Youse  saved  a  damn  sight  more'n  your  reputation," 


THE  RAGGED  EDGE  285 

observed  Murphy,  as  they  turned  away  to  give  their 
attention  to  Levitsky. 

In  the  meantime  McQuirk  had  hurried  out  into  the 
entry  to  see  the  person  who  had  sent  in  the  card.  It 
was  he  with  whom  he  had  had  the  conversation  in  the 
Precinct  Club  a  few  hours  before. 

"  Well,"  said  the  gentleman,  "  what  do  ye  know  ? 
Did  McGlory  do  the  right  thing?  " 

"  Yes,  and  almost  put  them  in  the  ditch.  But  they've 
got  their  second  wind,  now,  and  I  don't  like  the  looks 
of  things." 

"  No?  "  The  politician  looked  questioningly  at  Mc 
Quirk,  and  then  added :  "  They've  fixed  upon  a  new 
man?  Who  is  it?" 

"  Young  John  Kerrigan." 

"  Humph!    He's  well  liked,  too,  isn't  he?  " 

"  He's  about  the  last  man  I'd  want  them  to  push 
forward." 

The  other  reflected  a  moment,  then  said : 

"You  can  win,  though,  can't  you?" 

A  henchmen  of  McQuirk's  rushed  into  the  entry 
and  looked  anxiously  up  and  down. 

"  Of  course,"  said  McQuirk. 


286  THE  RAGGED  EDGE 

"  Tom !  "  exclaimed  the  supporter,  hurrying  up. 
"  Daily's  just  voted  for  Kerrigan,  and  Levitsky's  goin' 
to  do  the  same !  " 

"  I'll  take  it  back,"  said  McQuirk,  coolly.  "  They've 
got  me  hung  up." 

"  For  heaven's  sake,  don't  let  that  happen !  " 

"  It's  bound  to  unless — " 

"Unless  what?" 

"  We  drop  Kelly  and  turn  in  for  Kerrigan." 

"  How  does  he  stand  on  the  franchise  business  ?  " 

"  He's  against  it." 

"Then  fight  it  out  with  them!  If  they  split  the 
party  we  can  elect  Kelly  on  the  opposing  ticket  as  was 
done  last  time." 

"  Not  if  I  know  it ! "  said  McQuirk,  frowning  at 
the  lobbyist. 

"  What !  I  say,  Mac,  you're  not  gitting  weak-kneed 
at  the  last  moment,  are  you  ?  " 

"  I'm  ready  to  stand  in  and  help  your  company  out 
as  long  as  I  can  do  it  regularly.  This  is  my  ward  and 
the  only  way  to  keep  it  my  ward  is  to  be  a  regular. 
I'm  against  split  tickets,  you  know  that.  If  young 
Kerrigan  can  swing  the  convention,  I'm  for  Kerrigan." 


THE  RAGGED  EDGE  187 

"  But  think  of  what  this  means  ?  This  vote  must 
be  had  or  we  will  fall  flat." 

"  And  I  must  carry  my  ward,"  said  McQuirk.  "  If 
I  lose  twice  in  succession  you'll  be  makin'  deals 
with  another  man  next  election;  I'll  have  lost  my 

grip." 

Upon  McQuirk's  return  to  the  convention  hall  his 
adherents  gathered  about  him ;  he  paid  no  attention  to 
them,  but  at  once  buttonholed  the  elder  Kelly  and  drew 
him  aside.  The  first  ballot  had  resulted  in  a  tie  and 
the  second  had  not  yet  begun ;  Kerrigan,  reconciled  to 
the  situation,  was  receiving  the  noisy  congratulations 
of  his  friends;  the  band  in  the  gallery  brayed  and 
throbbed  through  a  popular  air.  Suddenly  a  volley 
of  incoherent  adjectives  came  from  James  Kelly;  his 
face  was  purple  with  wrath  and  he  gesticulated  with 
the  fury  of  one  demented.  No  one  caught  the  words, 
but  all  saw  that  McQuirk  was  the  object  of  his  vitu 
perations. 

"  There's  a  plank  loose,"  prophesied  McGonagle. 
"  It  must  be  a  come-back,  he's  makin'  it  so  strong." 

McQuirk  broke  away  from  Kelly's  detaining  clutch 
and  approached  the  group  surrounding  Kerrigan;  the 


288  THE  RAGGED  EDGE 

delegates,  clearly  seeing  that  something  important  was 
about  to  occur,  pressed  about  him. 

"  Gentlemen,"  said  the  boss,  "  above  everything  else 
we  must  preserve  unity.  As  things  stand,  I  would 
advise  you  all  to  turn  in  for  Mr.  Kerrigan." 

The  compact  mass  of  delegates  was  torn  as  by  a 
tempest ;  personal  friends  of  Kelly  stormed  about  Mc- 
Quirk  with  clamorous  denunciations;  the  opposition 
in  a  frenzy  of  rapture,  hoisted  their  candidate  upon 
their  shoulders  and  began  a  march  of  victory  about  the 
hall,  while  the  band  blared  brazenly  through  the  noise. 

When  at  length  comparative  silence  had  been  re 
stored,  the  poll  re-commenced.  McQuirk's  "  advice  " 
to  his  followers  had  been  rightly  interpreted  as  an 
order,  and  the  name  of  Kerrigan  seemed  to  be  on 
every  lip  as  man  after  man  responded  to  his  name. 
Upon  its  conclusion  and  Haley's  announcing  that  Ker 
rigan  had  won  by  more  than  two-thirds  of  the  vote,  the 
uproar  broke  out  afresh.  Suddenly,  however,  it 
hushed  and  all  crowded  toward  the  rear  end  of  the 
hall.  There  was  a  quick  grinding  of  feet  upon  the 
floor,  a  heaving  of  straining  bodies,  a  growling  of 
curses  between  tight-shut  teeth.  In  the  centre  of  the 


THE  RAGGED  EDGE  289 

crowd,  his  face  smeared  with  blood,  fighting  viciously, 
was  Martin  Kelly.  With  the  full,  swinging  strength 
of  their  arms  Nolan  and  Ferguson  were  battering  at 
him  and  all  who  sought  to  interfere;  upon  the  out 
skirts  of  the  crowd  the  elder  Kelly,  white-faced,  blue- 
lipped,  and  gasping,  desperately  sought  to  break 
through  to  the  aid  of  his  son. 

"  He's  down !  "  shouted  a  voice. 

"  Let  him  up !  "  protested  a  second. 

"  Give  him  the  leather !  "  advised  still  another. 

Larry  and  McGonagle  and  some  others  fought  their 
way  through  the  press  and  tore  Nolan  and  Ferguson 
away. 

A  half  hour  later  a  patrol  wagon  dashed  away  from 
the  hall  toward  the  nearest  hospital  bearing  the  bleed 
ing,  broken  form  of  young  Kelly.  Upon  the  steps 
stood  his  assailants  in  the  custody  of  two  policemen, 
and  with  their  friends  gathered  about  them. 

"Don't  make  no  kick,"  said  Larry.  "The  cops 
game  is  too  strong  for  youse.  Go  ahead  with  'em." 

"  Make  no  resistance,"  advised  O'Connor.  "  I'll  try 
if  they'll  take  bail  for  yez  in  the  mornin'." 


Chapter  XXIV 


"  Some  people's  born  with  the  notion  that  for  sharp 
ness  they've  got  the  rest  o'  the  world  tied  hand  an' 
foot;  and  they  are  sharp,  in  their  way  —  but  they  don't 
weigh  much."  —  CHIP  NOLAN'S  REMARKS. 

"  The   cool  shades   of   evening   their   mantles  were 

spreading, 

'And  Maggie,  all  smiling,  was  listening  to  me, 
The   moon   through   the   valley  her  pale  light  was 

shedding, 
When  I  won  the  heart  of  the  rose  of  Tralee!' 

OLD  SONG. 


^^fLANCY  was  reading  the  news  of  the  conven- 
f  j  tion  in  the  evening  paper  behind  his  counter  ; 
the  rush  was  over  for  the  night,  and  he  pulled 
at  his  pipe  contentedly,  for  O'Hara  had  failed  to  keep 
his  threat,  and  Clancy  fancied  that  his  creditor  had 
thought  better  of  it. 

"  Sure,  Young  Murphy  is  the  b'y  for  thim,"  said 
Clancy,  as  he  finished  the  account.     It  was  a  McQuirk 

290 


THE  RAGGED  EDGE  1291 

sheet  and  lauded  that  gentleman's  action  to  the  skies. 
Its  story  of  the  convention  teemed  with  such  phrases 
as  "  Magnificent  battle  against  organized  greed," 
"  Opponent  of  municipal  corruption,"  "  Able  friend  of 
the  working  class,"  etc.  "  But,  divil  take  thim,"  con 
tinued  the  grocer,  "  yez'd  t'ink,  from  this,  that  Mc- 
Quirk  done  it  all." 

He  adjusted  his  steel-rimmed  glasses  and  was  about 
to  resume  his  reading  when  a  step  sounded  upon  the 
floor  and  a  shadow  fell  across  the  newspaper ;  looking 
up  he  saw  O'Hara. 

"  Good  avenin',"  said  the  visitor.  "  I  wur  passin'  an' 
t'ought  I'd  drop  in  on  yez." 

"  An'  welcome,"  said  Clancy,  but  his  looks  belied 
his  tongue. 

"  Yez  towld  me  this  mornin',  Mr.  Clancy,"  said 
O'Hara,  "that  yez  could  not  pay  me  the  troifle  av 
money  yez  owe  me." 

"  An'  I  towld  yez  the  truth." 

"  On  con-sider-rayshun  av  yez  bein'  an  'owld  frind 
av  mine,"  said  O'Hara,  "  I  have  daysided  till  give  yez 
back  the  note,  widout  the  payin'  av  a  cint — upon  wan 
condition." 


292  THE  RAGGED  EDGE 

"  Give  me  back  me  note !  "  Clancy  could  not  believe 
his  ears. 

"  Upon  wan  condition,"  repeated  O'Hara. 

"An'wat'sthat?" 

"  That  yez  give  yez  consint  till  Annie's  marriage  wid 
young  McGonagle." 

Clancy  looked  thunderstruck ;  he  gazed  at  the  other 
with  mingled  wonder  and  anger. 

"  What  call  have  yez  till  meddle  wid  me  family  af 
fairs  ?  "  demanded  he,  indignantly.  "  An'  what  rayson 
have  ye  till  be  pullin'  wid  McGonagle  ?  " 

"  Sorra  the  t'ing  hav  that  till  do  wid  it.  Give  yez 
consint,  an'  I  will  give  ye  a  raysate  for  the  money  ye 
owe  me  the  minyute  the  marriage  lines  are  wrote." 

Clancy's  objection  to  Goose  was  solely  because  of  his 
poverty,  but  a  son-in-law  with  money  could  do  no  more 
than  pay  off  his  debt,  so  the  grocer  figured  it  out,  and 
the  reluctance  with  which  he  at  last  consented  to 
O'Hara's  proposition  was  more  assumed  than  real. 

"  The  ceremony  must  take  place  t'morry,"  said 
O'Hara. 

"  I  have  no  objection  till  offer,"  said  Clancy,  resign 
edly. 


THE  RAGGED  EDGE  293 

C"TJHE  door  bell  of  Larry's  home  at  the  end  of  Mur- 
phy's  Court  kept  up  an  almost  constant  ringing- 
next  morning,  and  old  Mrs.  Coogan's  breath  grew  short 
through  answering  the  calls. 

First  it  was  McGonagle  and  Larkin,  dressed  in  their 
best,  with  beaming  faces  and  movements  of  suppressed 
excitement. 

"  Everyt'ing's  all  to  the  velvet,"  said  Goose  airily. 
"  The  girls  have  been  up  and  dressed  since  five  o'clock, 
and  Father  Dawson'll  do  his  turn  at  eleven,  sharp." 

"  Say,  Larry,"  put  in  Jimmie,  "  one  bridesmaid's 
goin'  to  do  for  both ;  who  d'youse  t'ink  it  is." 

"  I  don't  know,"  replied  Larry. 

"  It's  Maggie  Dwyer,"  said  Jimmie.  "  Say,  there's 
a  girl  for  yer  life!  She's  got  'em  all  tied  hand  an' 
foot." 

"  If  there  was  no  Annie,"  remarked  Goose,  "  and  I 
had  the  drag  with  Maggie  that  youse  have,  why  her 
name'd  be  McGonagle  in  short  order,  le'me  tell  ye 
that." 

"  G'way,"  said  Larry.     "  Quit  yer  stringinV 

"  This  is  on  the  level,"  insisted  McGonagle.  "  I've 
heard  it  talked  about  for  years.  Everybody  in  the  ward 


294  fHE  RAGGED  EDGE 

knowed  that  she  wanted  ye, — everybody  but  yerself. 
But,  say,  youse  seemed  so  dead  leary  about  the  t'ing 
that  nobody  had  the  nerve  to  say  anyt'ing  to  youse." 

After  the  two  young  men  departed,  a  perfect  stream 
of  reporters  began  to  call,  all  anxious  to  get  Larry's 
views  upon  the  political  situation;  and  when  this  had 
subsided,  Mason  and  Kerrigan  came  in,  to  talk  over 
yesterday  and  confer  about  to-morrow. 

"  Did  youse  see  McQuirk  since  yesterday  ?  "  asked 
Larry,  after  some  time  spent  in  this  fashion. 

"  No,"  answered  Kerrigan,  "  but  I  received  a  note 
from  him  late  last  night,  asking  me  to  call  upon  him 
this  afternoon." 

Larry  nodded.  "  I  was  at  his  house  when  he  wrote 
it,"  said  he.  "  Youse  don't  need  to  worry  any  about 
him ;  he's  right  in  line.  He  kin  carry  the  ward,  with 
youse  on  the  ticket,  hands  down.  And  that's  McQuirk's 
game,  every  time.  As  long  as  he's  on  the  side  that 
wins  he  can  make  good,  ye  know,  and  any  time  they 
need  the  ward  in  a  deal  they  have  to  come  to  him  with 
the  money." 

"  Owen  Dwyer  seems  to  think,"  said  Mason,  "  that 


THE  RAGGED  EDGE  295 

the  election  is  only  a  matter  of  the  size  of  Kerrigan's 
majority." 

"  That's  right,"  said  Larry.  "  In  this  ward,  and  in 
all  the  others  for  that  matter,  the  fightin's  done  at  the 
primaries;  the  guy  what's  named  in  the  regular  way 
by  the  party  what  runs  the  ward,  has  got  the  election 
cinched." 

When  he  and  Mason  were  ready  to  go,  Kerrigan 
said: 

"  I  am  glad  that  Nolan  and  Ferguson  came  out  of 
their  matter  all  right.  I  know  Cullen,  one  of  the  doc 
tors  at  St.  Mary's,  and  he  told  me  that  Mart  Kelly's 
condition,  while  painful,  is  not  necessarily  serious." 

"  O'Connor  an'  Gartenheim  talked  to.McQuirk,"  said 
Larry ;  "  and  'McQuirk  squared  it  all  right  at  the  front 
office.  They  had  to  give  bail  but  the  case'll  never  come 
to  trial,  because  Jim  Kelly  won't  push  it;  he  knows 
what  Mart  was  done  up  for,  and  he  dasn't." 

"  McGonagle  tells  me  that  things  are  all  O.  K.  in 
his  matter,"  remarked  Kerrigan,  as  they  stood  upon  the 
steps,  Larry  in  the  doorway.  "  I'll  be  on  hand  promptly 
at  noon  to  attend  to  my  end  of  it." 


296  THE  RAGGED  EDGE 

Larry  closed  the  door  after  they  had  departed  and 
returned  to  the  sitting  room.  He  was  glad  that  mat 
ters  political  had  turned  out  as  they  did — but  only  be 
cause  it  would  prevent  the  loss  of  Owen  Dwycr's  sav 
ings,  and  thereby  please  Maggie — outside  of  that  he 
seemed  to  have  lost  all  zest  of  the  battle,  all  exultation 
in  the  victory. 

Maggie  was  in  his  thoughts,  Maggie  and  Maggie 
only.  Since  his  talk  with  her  the  morning  before,  she 
seemed  to  have  grown  nearer  to  him.  He  did  not 
dream  that  this  was  caused  by  a  lessening  of  his  sense 
of  inferiority — by  a  gradual  growth  of  faith  in  him 
self,  which  had  its  conception  in  the  hardly  realized 
fact  that  he  had  been  the  dominant  spirit  in  a  matching 
of  wits  which,  in  result,  meant  not  a  little  to  her. 

He  only  thought  of  her  kind  manner,  her  smile  and 
invitation  to  call  again ;  he  only  remembered  Kerri 
gan's  half-jesting  remark  after  they  had  left  the  house. 
And  then  there  were  McGonagle's  words;  Goose  was 
a  friend  of  his  and  would  not  deceive  him.  He  had 
said  that  Maggie  was  not  indifferent !  Could  this  be 
so?  Had  he  been  so  blind,  so  full  of  self-pride  as  to 
not  see  it?  Could  it  be  that  the  aloofness  with  which 


THE  RAGGED  EDGE  1297 

he  had  long  secretly  charged  her  had  all  been  of  his 
own  doing  ?  It  is  not  often  that  a  man  wishes  himself 
in  the  wrong;  but  that,  at  this  moment,  was  Larry's 
most  earnest  desire. 

"  I'll  settle  it  to-night,"  he  said  to  himself.  "  I'll 
brace  up  and  give  her  a  chance  to  flag  me." 

Half  past  eleven  saw  Larry  hurrying  toward  Clan 
cy's.  Two  of  O'Connor's  hacks  were  drawn  up  at  the 
curb  before  the  grocery,  from  one  of  which  McGon- 
agle  and  Larkin  were  assisting  Rosie,  Annie  and  Mag 
gie.  Clancy  and  O'Hara  were  alighting  from  the  sec 
ond,  which  they  had  shared  with  the  two  bridegrooms ; 
a  flock  of  marvelling  children  were  gathered  upon  the 
sidewalk ;  and  the  heads  of  their  elders  were  popping 
out  of  windows  and  doorways  full  of  wonder  and  sur 
prise. 

Larry  raised  his  hat  and  took  the  hand  which  Mag 
gie  offered  him. 

"  I'm  sorry,"  said  she,  "  that  I  can't  remain  to  see 
the  result  of  your  planning.  It  is  very  clever !  "  Larry 
caught  the  look  in  her  eyes  and  it  said  as  plainly  as 
words  that  it  was  no  more  than  she  had  expected  of 
him.  A  sudden  tumult  was  raised  in  his  breast  and 


298  THE  RAGGED  EDGE 

perhaps  he  pressed  her  hand  a  little;  at  any  rate  she 
flushed  and  withdrew  it  quickly. 

"  I  must  get  back  to  my  class  before  the  morning 
session  is  over,"  she  continued.  "  The  principal  would 
only  give  me  an  hour's  leave  of  absence." 

"  I'm  comin'  to  see  you  to-night,"  said  he,  courage 
ously. 

He  did  not  even  ask  her  permission!  She  gasped 
a  little,  in  surprise,  but  laughed  as  though  she 
liked  it. 

"  I  shall  be  at  home,"  said  she.  Then  she  kissed  the 
two  girls.  "  Good-by,  I  shall  run  around  this  after 
noon  to  see  you  both,  and,"  with  a  sly  glance  at 
O'Hara,  "  to  hear  of  the  fun." 

When  she  had  gone,  Larry  followed  the  others  into 
the  house,  Mrs.  Clancy  embraced  Annie  and  sobbed; 
then  Annie  and  Rosie  began  to  sob  also,  while  Goose 
and  Jimmie  looked  uncomfortably  at  one  another,  each 
with  a  feeling  of  guilt  heavy  upon  him. 

"  Here  is  yez  raysate,  Mister  Clancy,"  said  O'Hara, 
handing  the  grocer  a  slip  of  paper.  "  It's  a  man  av  me 
word  I  am." 

"  Youse'll  get  your  cash,  as  soon  as  the  fortune 


THE  RAGGED  EDGE  299 

comes  along,  O'Hara,"  McGonagle  informed  him  re 
assuringly. 

It  was  at  this  point  that  Kerrigan  walked  into  the 
room. 

"  It's  a  queer  thing  to  do  right  after  a  wedding," 
said  the  young  attorney,  after  he  had  congratulated 
the  happy  couples,  "  but  the  fact  is,  Mr.  Clancy,  I  am 
here  to  read  a  will.  And  as  all  the  persons  spoken  of 
in  the  document  are  present,  I  will,  with  your  permis 
sion,  get  down  to  business." 

He  took  a  neatly  folded  paper  from  his  breast 
pocket. 

"  The  will,"  he  continued,  "  is  that  of  the  late  Hon- 
ora  Cassidy,  spinster." 

"  Ah !  Ah !  "  exclaimed  Clancy,  striking  the  table 
with  his  fist ;  "  Now  well  know  the  rights  av  it.  Faith 
an'  I  knew  Honora  had  money." 

"So  it's  Honora  Cassidy  that  yez  meant?"  said 
O'Hara  looking  at  Larry.  Then  he  turned  to  Kerri 
gan.  "  Sure,  I  wur  acquainted  wid  her  in  Skibereen 
whin  I  wur  a  young  felly." 

"  I  am  aware  of  the  fact,"  returned  Kerrigan,  dryly. 
"  The  document  reads  this  way : 


300  THE  RAGGED  EDGE 

"  I,  Honora  Cassidy,  being  in  sound  physical  and 
mental  health,  do  make  this  my  last  will  and  testament. 
Having  remained  a  spinster  up  to  this  date  and  recog 
nizing  the  emptiness  and  loneliness  of  such  a  state,  I, 
in  this  instrument,  do  all  in  my  power  to  prevent  my 
half-brother's  child,  Annie  Clancy,  from  following  my 
example. 

"  With  this  end  in  view  I  bequeath  all  my  estate, 
both  real  and  personal,  with  Charles  Mason  as  Trus 
tee,  to  the  man  who  marries  the  said  Annie  Clancy,  on 
the  condition  that  the  ceremony  is  performed  within 
thirty  (30)  days  after  my  decease." 

"  Ha !  An'  so  yez  knew  av  this,  O'Hara !  "  exclaimed 
Clancy.  "  Yez  knew  av  it  an'  played  me  the  darty 
trick  till  git  yez  money  out  av  McGonagle !  " 

"  A  stroke  av  business,  Clancy,"  murmured  O'Hara 
soothingly,  "  A  mere  stroke  av  business,  sir." 

"  But  say,  Kerrigan,"  put  in  Larry,  with  great  in 
nocence,  "  if  Annie  hadn't  got  married  within  the  thirty 
days  ? — what  then  ?  " 

"  Then,"  replied  the  attorney,  referring  to  the  will, 
"  the  estate  would  have  gone  to  the  only  man  who  ever 


THE  RAGGED  EDGE  301 

made  a  proposal  of  marriage  to  the  deceased — and 
whom  she  refused." 

Larry  had  his  eyes  fixed  upon  O'Hara,  who  at  these 
words,  started  suddenly,  and  sat  bolt  upright. 

"An'  who  wur  that,  Johnnie?"  asked  Mrs.  Clancy, 
who,  womanlike,  felt  a  great  curiosity  upon  this  point. 

"  Our  esteemed  friend,  Malachi  O'Hara." 

"  What ! "  shrieked  Clancy,  leaping  to  his  feet. 
"  D'yez  mane  till  say,  Goose,  me  b'y,  that  yez  made  the 
owld  harp  do  himself  out  av  a  fort'in  ?  " 

"Not  me,"  said  McGonagle,  modestly;  "it  was 
Murphy." 

O'Hara  had  slowly  arisen,  his  dumpy  form  quiver 
ing,  his  face  crimson  with  wrath. 

"  It  wur  a  conspiracy !  "  exclaimed  he,  thumping  the 
floor  with  his  cane ;  "  a  conspiracy  to  defraud  me  out 
av  me  possible  roights !  " 

'  'Twur  a  nate  bit  av  wurk,"  cried  Clancy,  enthusi 
astically  shaking  his  son-in-law  by  the  hand.  "  An'  I 
forgi'  yez  for  my  part  av  it.  Sure,  yez  are  all  great 
b'ys  together !  " 

O'Hara  continued  to  stamp  about  the  room;   Rosie 


302  THE  RAGGED  EDGE 

wept  on  Jimmie's  shoulder,  frightened  at  her  father's 
anger.  At  last  the  second-hand  dealer  grabbed  up  his 
hat  and  made  for  the  door. 

"  Come  home  wid  me,  Rosie ! "  commanded  he. 
"  Don't  be  stayin'  here  till  see  yez  father  chated  an' 
robbed." 

"  She'll  go  home  with  me,  after  this,"  said  Jimmie 
Larkin,  as  he  fondly  kissed  the  tears  from  her  cheek. 

"  Thin,  the  divil  do  her  good  av  ye !  "  O'Hara  swept 
the  room  with  a  stormy  glance.  "  It's  the  law  I'll  have 
on  yez,"  foamed  he,  "  Ivery  wan  av  yez'll  sup  sorra 
for  yez  divilment,  raymimber  that !  " 

And  he  banged  the  door  after  him  and  was  gone. 

JTT  was  a  beautiful  night ;    the  moon  was  sailing 

through    the     heavens     attended     by     countless 

myriads  of  jewel-like  stars;   the  breeze  rustled  gently 

through  the  street,  and  as  Larry  neared  Maggie's  home 

he  caught  the  soft  notes  of  an  old,  old  song. 

Owen  sat  upon  the  step,  enjoying  the  fineness  of  the 
night,  and  as  the  young  man  came  up  he  arose  and 
gripped  him  by  the  hand. 


THE  RAGGED  EDGE  303 

u  God  bless  ye,  Larry,"  said  he,  with  a  subdued  emo 
tion  rare  in  the  Celt.  "  God  bless  ye  for  what  yez  done 
for  me  and  mine!  I  niver  towld  Maggie  till  the  day, 
but  iv  Kelly  had  won,  it's  find  another  home  we'd  had 
till  do,  for  ivery  dollar  I  could  rake  an'  scrape  were  in 
that  stock.  I  took  a  great  risk,  b'y,  I  see  it  now ;  but 
it  wur  all  for  her  sake,  Larry,  all  for  her  sake." 

Larry  entered,  leaving  the  old  man  smoking  peace 
fully  upon  the  steps.  The  hallway  was  dim,  and  he 
walked  softly  to  avoid  knocking  against  things.  But 
a  shaded  lamp  threw  a  soft  light  about  the  parlour,  and 
he  paused  in  the  doorway  to  listen  to  the  faint  music 
and  the  words  of  the  song.  Maggie  sat  at  the  piano, 
her  back  toward  him ;  she  was  dressed  in  white,  cling 
ing  stuff  that  displayed  the  full  charm  of  her  fine  fig 
ure;  her  fingers  touched  the  keyboard  lightly,  caress 
ingly  and  she  sang  in  a  subdued,  brooding  way : 

"  Oh  promise  to  meet  me  when  twilight  is  falling, 

Beside  the  blue  waters  that  slumber  so  fair, 
Each  bird  in  the  meadow  your  name  will  be  calling, 
And  every  sweet  rose-bud  will  look  for  you  there." 


304  THE  RAGGED  EDGE 

She  paused,  her  fingers  still  straying  over  the  keys, 
and  Larry  took  up  the  song: 

"  In  morning  and  evening  for  you  I  am  sighing, 

The  heart  in  my  bosom  is  yours  evermore, 
I'll  watch  for  you,  darling,  when  daylight  is  dying, 
Sweet  rose  of  Killarney,  Mavourneen  asthore" 

She  arose  and  slowly  turned  toward  him.  Her  face 
was  rosy,  her  eyes  shining  with  a  light  that  was  good  to 
see. 

He  advanced  half  way,  then  paused,  his  arms  out 
stretched.  She  understood,  on  the  instant,  and  came 
the  remainder  of  the  way ;  then  the  strong  arms  were 
around  her  and  he  had  kissed  her  upon  the  lips. 

"  When  shall  it  be  ?  "  he  asked,  in  a  masterful  way. 

"  Not  for  a  long,  long  time,"  she  answered.  "  Re 
member  Mary ! " 

"  I'll  never  forget  her."  His  eyes  were  dim  with 
feeling. 

"  Poor  Mary,"  whispered  Maggie,  softly.  "  Dear, 
sweet,  gentle  Mary !  " 

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GOLDEN    NUMBERS 

A  Book  of  Verse  for  Youth 

Edited  by 

KATE  DOUGLAS  WIGGIN  AND  NORA 
ARCHIBALD  SMITH 

with  an 

Introduction  and  Little  Letters  on  Poetry 

by 

KATE  DOUGLAS  WIGGIN 

Jj  OR  the  purpose  of  compiling  this  book  Mrs.  Riggs 
[Kate  Douglas  Wiggin]  and  her  sister,  Miss  Smith,  have 
explored  practically  the  entire  body  of  English  poetry,  and 
have  spent  two  years  in  the  work  of  selection  and  arrange 
ment.  The  result,  it  is  hardly  necessary  to  say,  in  view  of 
Mrs.  Riggs'  well-known  sympathy  with  the  needs  and 
interests  of  young  life,  is  the  greatest  work  ever  planned  to 
put  the  boys  and  girls  of  America  and  England  in  posses 
sion  of  the  poetic  heritage  of  their  literature.  The  volume 
may  well  serve  as  a  general  anthology  for  all  ages,  so 
representative  is  it  and  so  complete.  And  yet  so  skillfully 
has  the  work  been  done  that  nothing  is  introduced  which 
might  not  serve  immediately  to  win  the  attention  of  the 
young  reader  and  to  stimulate  his  curiosity  to  make  inde 
pendent  discoveries  in  the  broad  fields  that  lie  beyond  the 
covers  of  his  book.  A  second  volume  is  in  preparation.  It 
will  be  entitled  The  Posy  Ring,  and  will  aim  to  interest  still 
younger  readers  than  those  to  which  Golden  Numbers  will 
make  an  appeal. 


S,  Conan  Bopie 

(— » 


THE  HOUND  OF  THE 
BASKERVILLES 

A   Sherlock   Holmes   Novel 
Illustrated  by  Sidney  Paget 


London  Chronicle,  in  a  review  headed 
"THE  ZENITH  OF  SHERLOCK  HOLMES," 
says  : 

"We  should  like  to  pay  Dr.  Doyle  the 
highest  compliment  at  our  command.  It  is  not 
simply  that  this  book  is  superior  in  originality 
and  construction  to  the  earlier  adventures  of 
the  great  detective.  Dr.  Doyle  has  provided  a 
criminal  who,  as  Mr.  Holmes  admits,  is  indeed 
a  foeman  worthy  of  his  steel.*  Hitherto  he 
has  found  it  comparatively  easy  to  unmask  his 
antagonists.  But  in  the  present  case  he  finds 
himself  checkmated  again  and  again.  There  is 
pitted  against  him  a  skill  nearly  equal  to  his 
own,  and  he  wins  the  game  almost  by  a  hair." 

*  "  I  tell  you,  Watson,  this  time  we  have  a  foeman 
who  is  worthy  of  our  steel."  —  Sherlock  Holmes. 

$1.25 


&  Co* 


THE  HOUSE  WITH  THE 
GREEN  SHUTTERS 

r 

J_  HE  first  novel  of  a  new  master.  The  work 
has  gained  wide-spread  recognition  on  both 
sides  of  the  water.  Three  of  the  most  conserv 
ative  and  authoritative  publications  in  Eng 
land  include  it  among  the  first  twelve  of  the 
year.  In  this  country  Harper's  Weekly  gives 
it  as  one  of  the  two  most  interesting  novels  of 
the  year. 

The  critics  differ  as  to  with  what  other  master 
George  Douglas  should  be  compared  : 

The  London  Times  says  :  "  Worthy  of  the  hand  that 
drew  'Weir  of  Herraiston,'"  and  that  "Balzac  and 
Flaubert,  had  they  been  Scotch,  would  have  written 
such  a  book." 

The  Spectator:  "  His  masters  are  Zola  and  Balzac,  but 
there  are  few  traces  of  the  novice  and  none  of  the  im 
itator." 

Vanity  Fair:  "  It  moves  to  its  end  with  all  the  terrible 
unity  of  an  ^Eschylean  tragedy." 

Harper". i  Weekly:  "If  Thomas  Hardy  had  written  of 
Scotland,  instead  of  Wessex,  it  would  have  been  some 
thing  like  '  The  House  with  the  Green  Shutters'  ...  If 
any  man  is  his  (Douglas')  master  it  is  Thomas  Hardy." 

Hardy,  Stevenson,  Zola,  Flaubert,  Balzac,  and  ^Eschylus. 
Eighth  Edition.  $1.50. 

jttcClure,  $l)f ilf  p$  &  Co, 


RED  SAUNDERS 

His  Adventures,  West  and  East 

r 

There  is  plenty  of  dash  and  adventure  in 
this  book,  told  with  a  humor  whose  most  de 
lightful  quality  is  its  unstudied  naturalness. 
The  critics  are  all  laughing,  not  at  the  book, 
but  with  it. 


"  Chantay  Seechee  Red  is  the  sort  of  cow- 
puncher  it  benefits  one  to  meet  even  between 
the  covers  of  a  book." — N.  Y.  Evening  Post. 

"  Mark  Twain  has  written  no  more  delicious 
stories." — Philadelphia  Inquirer. 

"A  delightful  study  of  life  in  the  West." 

— Newark  Call. 

"  The  wind  blows  through  it,  and  the  mean 
ing  of  it  is  health  and  joy." — N.  Y.  Sun. 

"  The  creator  of  Red  Saunders  has  an  exu 
berant  sense  of  humor." 

— A^.  Y.  Evening  Telegram. 

Second  Edition  $1.25 


UNIVERSITY  OF  CALIFORNIA  LIBRARY 

Los  Angeles 

This  book  is  DUE  on  the  last  date  stamped  below. 


Form  L9-Series  4939 


PS35P5.       M176R 


UC  SOUTHERN  REGIONAL  LIBRARY  FACILITY 


A     000  929  346     5 


